OoT: A New Age
by SerenityRose44
Summary: The Hero of Time has returned to his original time as the princess wished after the defeat of the Evil King. Now he needs to warn the princess of Ganon's plans, since he is the only one to remember the events of the cursed timeline. But things don't go quite as planned and the princess is left to fight by herself and what is left of Hyrule. Not proofread thoroughly right now
1. Back in Time

The young girl turned around, surprised to see a boy standing before her, "What? Who? Who are you? How did you get past the guards?" She questioned.

"There is no time for that," He said, coming up beside her and pointing out the window she was recently spying through, "That man, Ganondorf, you have to get rid of him! He swears his loyalty to your father but he has ill intentions. He only wants the Triforce that is hidden within the sacred realm."

"How do you know all of that? I am certain you have not learned that from anyone in this castle. Tell me who you are," She demanded, but was taken aback by the boy's eyes when he turned to her. His eyes bore so many emotions within them, knowledge beyond his age, even beyond her understanding, and a maturity she could not find in most adults; they were certainly not the eyes of a simple boy.

"Princess Zelda, I am aware that I sound as if I am crazy, just appearing in front of you and saying such things, but I know you have had dreams, prophecies more like, and you think this man is in it, and he is, I know, is that not why you are spying on him now?" He asked, "You, yourself, have told me of these, along with the secret of the sacred realm. I also know your lullaby, your nursemaid, Impa, taught it to me before I started my quest in another timeline. I appear to be the only one to remember the time Ganondorf ruled Hyrule, but I assure you I am not telling lies. As of now Ganondorf cannot do anything since he does not have the spiritual stones, as I have taken them from the temple, and I put the sword back in its pedestal to ensure that he does not enter the sacred realm and throw Hyrule into chaos again as he has done before. But you need to get your father to sentence him to prison, exile or even execute him, he must not be able to stay," He urged.

The young princess stared at him for a long moment, "I do not—"

"Who are you boy and how did you get in here?" Impa's firm voice interrupted her, causing the two children to turn to find the Sheikah standing several feet from the stairs, "And how do you know all of this information? Your words are questionable."

The boy gave an irritated sigh, running his fingers through his hair, "Alright, fine, if you do not believe me, I will tell you of what you do not remember," He muttered then quickly summarized his quest before he got sent back. After he was done, Zelda was just staring at him but Impa had her arms crossed with one hand under her chin.

"The Hero of Time?" Impa mused, "I have heard of the Hero of Legend but always thought it was just a myth, but even as inexplicable as it sounds, I cannot help but feel as though you tell the truth about this quest of yours and what Ganondorf has done. The fact that you know so much about things no one should know seems to aid that."

"It is true! I wouldn't come here to warn you of this man if it weren't!" Link urged, "Gah, I wish there was a way to make you remember so that I don't sound crazy," He growled then quickly turned back to the window once he felt someone's gaze on him. Ganondorf still sat there, his eyes boring into Link's, glaring at him, one which the boy partly returned.

"Whether you believe me or not, the fact remains that Ganondorf must not stay, he will cause Hyrule's downfall if he is able to. He wants the Triforce and he'll stop at nothing to acquire it," He said as he turned back, thinking of a possibility, "When he entered the sacred realm he got the Triforce of Power and was able to rule Hyrule with just that, as I had explained earlier; however, Courage and Wisdom broke off to their bearers. For Wisdom, you are the bearer, Princess Zelda," He pointed at her right hand which faintly glowed with the mark of the Triforce before holding up his left hand which glowed like hers, "And I, the bearer of Courage."

The two women looked at him then they began to converse with one another in Ancient Hylian, which Link had yet to learn completely and he was only able to grasp a few words.

Soon the two turned back towards him and Impa begun first. "The goddesses do not lie so we cannot claim that what you say is not the truth."

"If this alternate timeline actually happened then why can't we remember any of it?"

"Well maybe because you're the one who sent everything back to the time before any of it happened; however the reason that only I can recall these events is beyond me, just as it had been in my adventure," Link answered.

"Perhaps we could find a way to allow these lost memories back to us and the other sages," Impa wondered, "Either way we have to go to the King with this, hopefully persuade him to take care of Ganondorf before he is able to do anything."

"He doesn't believe my prophecies, I don't think he will believe in a timeline that all but disappeared," Zelda mentioned.

"Hopefully having the bearer of courage with us will coax him to believe it; nonetheless we still have to try. If what Link says is true then we would just have more issues if we do not," Impa said, "We'll have to talk to His Majesty after he is done with his work for the day."

Link looked up to the sky, "It isn't even noon yet, when does he usually stop for the day?" He asked, setting his gaze back down on Impa.

"Most of the time he doesn't retire to his chambers until later, usually shortly before the sun sets," She answered.

The boy thought for a moment, "I have an idea, it'll make the day go by much faster and will get us just past twilight," He said turning to Zelda, "Princess, do you have the Ocarina of Time with you?"

"The treasure of the royal family? I have it in my bed chambers but why do you need it?"

"It's the only thing that allows this to work because of its magical abilities. We could just wait out the whole day, but the Ocarina would make this a lot easier."

The young princess thought over it before looking at Impa, "Impa, could you get the Ocarina from my room? I wish to inform my father of this as soon as I can rather than having to wait, especially when Ganondorf is within the castle."

Impa nodded then suddenly pulled out a deku nut and threw it to the ground, disappearing with a flash of light.

"I swear I will never get used to that deku nut thing, no matter how many times you two had done it in front of me before," Link muttered as he rubbed his eyes.

"Perhaps I would apologize for that, but it's not like I remember doing it or anything," Zelda shrugged, "On another note, do you truly think you can make my father believe in your statements? He hardly listens to me about anything and never believes me when I tell him something like my dreams."

He turned towards her, blinking multiple times before replying, "I don't mind if he doesn't believe in the alternate timeline, or of me being the Hero of Time, I just want you and your father to be aware of Ganondorf's intentions, and at least do something about it," He looked out to the garden, "I want to protect you, Zelda, and I don't want Hyrule to be like...that again..." His voice trailed off as he grew distant, remembering the things that he had seen.

Zelda noticed this and lightly nudged him, "Ganondorf will not get the Triforce again and Hyrule will not turn into whatever it was during your quest," She assured him, bringing him out of his trance.

Soon Impa came back, holding the small blue instrument in her hands, "I have brought the Ocarina, though I must ask; what are you planning on accomplishing with it?" She asked, handing the boy the precious instrument.

"Obviously I am going to play a song, though I need to think of the notes," He told her, taking the Ocarina and trying to think of the notes to the song he had not played for a while, "Ah right, hold onto my shoulders real quick, it'll bring you along," He told the two and once they did so he brought the instrument to his lips and played out a specific order of notes. The song sounded throughout the garden and once it stopped it took only a moment before time seemed to fly by and soon the sun had retreated under the horizon, leaving Hyrule in the dark of night.

Both Impa and Zelda stepped back and looked around. Zelda turned and looked through the window, finding no one in there except the maids as they went through cleaning and lighting the torches around the hall. "How did you do that?" The princess asked, turning back to Link who was handing her the Ocarina.

"The song is called Sun's Song; it speeds up time and turns night to day and day to night. It was quite useful in my adventure, especially with the ReDead," He answered but shuddered at the thought of the creatures. He shook himself before continuing, "At this time don't you agree the king will be in his chambers?" He turned and walked down the stairs, stopping to face them.

"Yes, we should go your Highness," Impa agreed, following behind once Zelda begun to walk out to the entrance of the garden.

As they made their way through the castle many of the soldiers and maids gave odd looks towards the group, mainly towards Link. "Don't mind them Link, they just don't see citizens within the castle at these hours, especially with the princess." Impa had told him a couple times though he still felt quite uncomfortable with their constant looks, specifically the soldiers, the maids just gave confused glances but the soldiers looked as if they hadn't seen a commoner before.

When they got to the King's door the boy grew suddenly nervous, he never actually met the king before; when he came to the castle the first time to meet Zelda he wasn't able to see him before he had to leave for his quest, and Link was sure Ganondorf had committed regicide on that timeline so he never got to meet him then either.

Impa opened the door and the group entered, finding Zelda's father at his desk reading over the few papers he had on it.

"Father, we have a rather important matter we must address with you," Zelda started, holding a blank expression, turning into the princess everyone knew her as. The larger man took a moment before turning in his chair, "My daughter, you should be in your chambers. What is it that you think you need to come at such an hour?" He asked then continued, "If it is about Ganondorf and your dreams, I do not want to hear of it again."

"But father this is—"

"Enough!" He snapped curtly, "I do not have time to listen to your drivel; we live in an era of peace. Your so called premonitions are based upon false information," He said as he turned back to his work.

The young girl bit her lower lip, glaring at the floor; Link guessed she was trying not to argue, but was quickly proven wrong when she snatched his left wrist and was dragged roughly across the room.

I can get punished later, but this cannot be pushed aside any further. Zelda thought, pulling Link to the front of the desk, "It is no longer just a premonition; I have evidence of Ganondorf's evil intentions,"

Her father gave her an incredulous and cross look, one she knew well, though usually she would have stop once she received that look. "You are acting like a child, being so naïve!" She retorted, surprising the whole group, "Hyrule's downfall will be caused by your ignorance if you continue to ignore this," She continued and by now they could tell the King was getting rather angry with her.

"What makes you think you can talk to me like that?! I am the king of Hyrule; I know what is good for my people!" The large man exclaimed, making Link flinch, he wasn't expecting the king to behave like this. There was probably something deeper going on between the two in which the boy had no intention of getting caught up in, but while he tried to pull away she had a tight grasp on his wrist and jerked him back forward.

Zelda glared at her father, obviously not going to give up on the subject, "You are being so arrogant! Do you truly believe you are doing what is best for the citizens of Hyrule? By sending them to their deaths because you refuse to listen to reason? Or is it because it is I who is telling you this that you refuse to think of the kingdom?" She countered, "Have you still yet to see me as your daughter? Are you still dwelling within the past for something I could not control? If so you are a pitiful man, and certainly not fit to be a king, nor a father."

Silence fell over the room for a few moments before the young girl continued, "Whether you believe me or not will be the difference between if Hyrule falls to evil or not." As she said that her father settled back down. Link watched him, there was definitely something going on with the two, and Zelda just scolded him for it.

"Now are you willing to listen?" Once her father simply stared at her in silence she continued, "Ganondorf is going to ruin this kingdom if you allow him to his own devices any longer. He wants the power of the Triforce in order to rule Hyrule and nothing less."

"And what makes you so sure of this?" He asked

"This boy knows of what Ganondorf is capable of."

"This mare village boy?" The king said, as if to mock Link, "Ganondorf has done nothing that some boy would know before the royal family. Anyways this boy is most likely younger than you, how could he even know of such things?"

"This boy is the Hero of Time, and as the Goddesses planned, he has seen and ended Ganondorf's tyranny when he ruled Hyrule. He has made me aware of what that man will and has done."

"This boy, the Hero of Time? Do not jest about such an honorable person."

"I am not jesting!" Zelda exclaimed, slamming her free hand on the desk, "Look for yourself!" She pulled Link forward and supinated his hand so her father could see the back of his palm where the Triforce shone softly in response to her piece, "I know you are aware of what this is and if you continue to refuse to believe this you have both turned your back on the Goddesses and the people of this kingdom!" She glared at her father as he stared dumbfounded at the mark. "He holds the Triforce of Courage and I bear the Triforce of Wisdom while the third piece is within the sacred realm; however Ganondorf will not let that stop him, he was able to get the third piece before and he'd be able to do it again. Now if you are still too dimwitted to believe this, I'll go to the ministers since I know they'll do something about this where you would not. I know they at least care for this kingdom!"

The king remained silent as he leaned back in his chair, obviously pondering on what to do, "Fine, if you truly believe in something that has not happened and that Ganondorf will cause Hyrule's downfall then what do you propose we do?"

"Exile him to the desert, he must not be able to stay father," She said firmly, though she sounded more like she was ordering him.

"Why not execute him if he is to commit such crimes? Sending him back to the desert, where his tribe is, is going to help?"

"And do you believe executing him is the better option here? Not only do we not have physical evidence, Ganondorf also hasn't committed anything wrong towards Hyrule as of yet, executing him would simply cause a war between the Hylians and the Gerudo."

After a long minute of her father arguing, he finally acquiesced in her decision. "Alright, I will meet with the council on the morrow; however it'll require a couple days to be able to send him there if you are able to persuade the ministers to do it. For now return to your chambers for the night, come to the meeting, and you, boy, what is your name?"

Link tensed up and pulled his hand free from Zelda's grip, "My name is Link, your majesty," He answered stiffly.

"Link? Fascinating... Well Link, you are required to stay within the castle and attend the meeting tomorrow to provide the evidence you have against Ganondorf. Given that you bear a piece of the Golden power, the councilmen should not claim that you are wrong but will certainly still doubt you as a result of your age," He told him then turned to look at Impa, "Impa, allow him into one of the free rooms to stay in temporarily, also call for a meeting in the morning. Now you are dismissed, I must finish my work," He turned and returned to his paperwork.

The group left the room and started down the hallway again. "So, Impa, did you put up that barrier in order to make the room soundproof? It surely wasn't to keep others out," Link asked to break the silence.

"You have sharp intuition; I am surprised you noticed I was expecting only Zelda to notice, and to answer your question, yes, I knew his majesty was going to get a little loud and put the barrier up in order to keep people from hearing him," Impa smiled.

"I spent months going through temples, defeating multiple kinds of monsters, and I defeated Ganondorf. I also learned different magic spells, I think after that I would notice the so very noticeable sensation that a barrier causes to those who have experience with magic. Also seeing as no one came in or tried to come in made it reasonable that you put up a soundproof barrier."

"Then how did you notice it was me?"

"You were the only one who touched the door."

"Hmm, impressive," Impa praised then stopped at a door, "Well Link, this will be where you will stay for now, I will come to get you when the meeting is about to start."

"Alright, though before that, I have a question, princess," He asked then turned to the young girl.

"What is it?"

"I know it is a personal question, but do you mind me asking what happened between you and your father? You two didn't seem to be on the best of terms with each other."

Zelda hesitated and averted her gaze; Impa took a glance at him before looking over to her.

"Was that too much?" Link asked hesitantly.

She forced a small smile onto her face as she turned back towards him, "Perhaps for a later date, right now we need to go to sleep, tomorrow will be...eventful," She turned around and headed down the hall, her nursemaid following closely behind shortly after.


	2. The meetings

That night was long; Link was never really able to get proper sleep and ended up just walking around his temporary room or lying on the bed, staring aimlessly at the roof. Probably an hour or so before the sun came up did he actually fall asleep on the left side of the larger bed. However, he soon woke to the loud knocking from the royal family's attendant at the room's door.

"Link, you need to get ready, the meeting is going to begin shortly. I'll be waiting for you here."

He heard from the other side of the wood door. Groaning, he forced himself out of the bed, because he had slept on the cold ground most of the time over the course of his journey, it was like a dream to sleep on a bed again, which made it even harder to get out of it. Link got himself up on his feet and brushed himself off before going to get the rest of his gear on, then went to open the door.

"Okay I'm ready, let's go." Once he said so, the two begun to walk down the winding halls of the castle, towards where the throne room was but turned to the right of it into a smaller room. Before the group went into the room, the King stepped out to stop them.

"Link, I'd like to meet with you, will you come to my chambers after this meeting is concluded?"

Link got nervous at that, he'd never been asked to meet with anyone, especially with the King but he nodded nonetheless, "Yes sir, I can come by."

The King smiled gently then turned around and they all entered into the smaller room.

A long table was placed in the middle with 11 chairs surrounding it, the one at the farthest end was the king's and the one on the opposite end was Zelda's. It looked like they stuffed in an extra chair besides the princess's, probably for Link. Impa took her seat in the seat on the other side of Link beside Zelda.

All of the councilmen stared at Link as if he were an extraterrestrial, as if they had never seen someone other than nobles in their entire lives. They whispered to each other, most likely about him, this irritated him more than what he had thought, even if he had expected them to.

Zelda noticed this and begun talking to him before the meeting actually begun, she went through all of the council members, named them all and told him about them. There was herself, Impa, the King, Joaquin, Christopher, Edward, Jackson, Adam, Aaron, and Alexander. Zelda really only liked Impa, Joaquin, Christopher and Alexander, she didn't really care for the others, but they didn't seem to like her either so it all worked out.

After a short while they were all shushed by the King and once the room fell silent he continued. "I apologize for calling for a meeting on such short notice, but something has been brought to my attention by my daughter and this boy, Link." He announced, his voice firm.

"A village boy is here at a council meeting? This is absurd, not only did you call for a meeting in such a short time, you brought a mere commoner to it!" The councilmen, Adam, exclaimed, clearly irritated about Link's being there. His hair was fading to grey and was pulled back untidily. He had grown chubby from eating constantly in this time of peace after the civil war; he wasn't much of a person to get involved in anything, but is always the first to judge someone, this Zelda knew well and had told Link. The others simply nodded in agreement, excluding Joaquin, Impa and Christopher.

"I understand that there is typically not someone other than council members at these meetings, but Link here is of great importance to the kingdom. He is—"

"This boy? Of great importance to the kingdom? What kind of jest is this?" Edward asked incredulously. "What could this boy do to be of importance to Hyrule? As I see it, he's just an ignorant kid!"

This made Link mad; these men were being arrogant and wouldn't even listen before they start ranting. He was about to say something but just as he parted his lips to do so Zelda stopped him then her father continued.

"If you would allow me to continue without being interrupted." The King muttered, making everyone stop and look over to him. "Link here claims to be the Hero of Time, it does sound impossible, but last night he had come to my daughter and I about his tale and he carries a piece of the Golden Power so I have little reason to truly doubt him.

"Wait this boy? He's not even a man, just a child. He probably hasn't even seen a war, he couldn't be the Hero of Time—"Adam said abruptly.

"He was a victim of the war, now stop interrupting!" The King warned before continuing, "He had come here to warn us of Ganondorf and what he will do Hyrule. My daughter agreed with him on exiling him back to the Gerudo desert, not to set foot on these lands again."

"But he has done nothing wrong as of yet, we would have nothing to sentence him with." Jackson commented this time, stroking his chin since he had a lack of facial hair.

"Planning a conspiracy against the royal family, how about that?" Link raised his voice so he could be heard. "Even if he has not done anything you know of, saying he is plotting against the royal family and the kingdom of Hyrule would be enough to exile him. I know that he is, he has done so in the other timeline and he would do so in this one, if he can continue on in Hyrule. He has already killed the Great Deku Tree and endangered both the Zora and Goron tribes, which gives more reason." He suggested.

"How would you know what would be happening with the Goron and Zora tribes? You're just a boy." Adam criticized.

"I've probably seen more of Hyrule than all of you have in your lives! I have seen this entire kingdom from the pits of Death Mountain, to the Spirit Temple in Gerudo Desert, to the deep depths of Hylia Lake. I have even been in the guts of Lord Jabu-Jabu to save the Zora Princess, Ruto, and to save Jabu-Jabu. I had to slay both Lord Dodongo and the possessed dragon Volvagia to save Chief Darunia and his Gorons. I have had to sneak around the Gerudo fortress and I have been thrown into the Gerudo prison. I know of Impa, the Sheikah tribe and Zelda's lullaby. You can ask me anything about Hyrule and I'd most likely be able to answer it." Link exclaimed as he stood up from his chair. "And I am not a boy so stop calling me one, I have traveled through time multiple times to save this Kingdom and you continue to call me a boy and doubt what I have seen before I even tell you anything?!" He said angrily then settled slightly, "The Goddesses cursed me with this fate of the Hero and that is the sole reason why I am here now. I know what that tyrant Ganondorf has done to Hyrule, and if you had seen those horrendous sights of Hyrule while under his reign, you would want to rid this kingdom of his presence as well." The councilmembers were quiet; Zelda just looked at him with sympathetic eyes while the others glanced to each other before looking back at him. "I do not come here unaware of the happenings in Hyrule; I knew of them before you did. I only come here to try to prevent that thief from taking Hyrule again; he has already caused harm to all three of the tribes that inhabit this Kingdom, if you ask them they would tell you the same."

Once he finished he sat back down, "All I am asking is that Ganondorf be sent back to Gerudo Desert, not to step foot in Hyrule again. He will bring Hyrule to ruin if he is allowed to stay."

The King watched him then turned to the men, "Link here has given us plenty of valid reasons to exile Ganondorf, I agree with him, my daughter most likely agrees, and the Goddesses had planned it."

The councilmembers pondered, leaving the room in silence for a minute. Alexander was the one to break the silence as he cleared his throat, "So that's all you want? Just for us to send Ganaondorf back?"

Link nodded, "That is all I am asking for, not for him to be executed or anything of the sort."

"With his reasons, I doubt that we can't arrange this." The King added.

The former hero watched the members, they looked back and forth from each other, to the King and then to him. Joaquin finally spoke up, "Who agrees with this? To exile Ganondorf back to Gerudo Desert with conspiracy against the royal family and endangerment of the kingdom's inhabitants?"

Impa, the King, Zelda, Christopher, Alexander and Edward agreed; Adam, Jackson and Aaron looked to one another before Adam sighed, then the three reluctantly agreed to it as well.

"It settled then, we will exile Ganondorf back to Gerudo Desert. This meeting is now dismissed," The King stated, and then turned to Link as the members begun to leave, "These arrangements will take a couple days to process through, so you are welcome to stay within the castle for the meantime. You can stay in the room you are currently in for now."

Link nodded, "That is fine." He pondered over everything but was interrupted by the King patting his shoulder. "Are you coming now Link?" The older man said then started walking down the hallway. Link glanced back to Zelda's back before turning to follow the King of Hyrule through the castle.

The two walked into the King's chambers once more, it was lightened already and everything was organized, unlike how it was the night before. The older man walked to his desk and sat down, turning to face Link. "Link, I have been wondering since you were introduced to me last night. Do you know any of your family members?"

"No I don't know any of them Sir; I grew up in the Kokiri forest with the Great Deku Tree and the Kokiri. The Deku Tree sprout did tell me that my mother died shortly after giving me to the Deku Tree when I was very young. I am aware that my father was part of the Hylian knights but I was told by a Sage that my father had died in battle." Link told him.

The King brought his hand to his chin and thought, "So I assumed right about you." He mused, "Listen Link, many years ago, before you were born, I had a friend and he was a very dear friend to me. He was like a brother to me, always helping me when I needed it, like when my wife died, and that's why Zelda and I aren't on the best of terms. But that's aside the point; almost 11 years ago my friend and his wife had a son, only a few months after my wife had given birth to Zelda. Zelda absolutely loved that boy, she always wanted to be with their child, and even I had grown to like him in the time he was here. When he was born, I was entrusted with him if his parents had passed or something happened to separate them, a godfather basically. His family were guardians for the Royal Family and were liked by most in the castle. But during that time Hyrule was plagued by war, the Hyrulean Civil War. My friend was a knight and he hadn't survived the war, he had been killed in one of the last battles of the war, which was in the castle. He did tell me that he was planning on having his wife flee to Kokiri Forest with their son to protect them. So after he died I figured his wife had escaped but after that I never saw her again, I assumed she had died, I highly doubt she left the castle unscathed... Their son's name was Link, a fairly bright kid, blonde hair and bright blue eyes, just like you. With all that you have told me thus far, I truly believe that you were their son."

Link hesitated, "So you're saying that you believe that you are my godfather basically?"

The King nodded, "That is what I believe now, especially with what you have told me of your past."

The former hero thought for a couple moments, "I suppose it does make sense, but I want to think about it more, if that is alright."

"That is alright with me, I know this is something not so quickly taken in. I'll allow you the time you want, also if you need to leave the castle grounds for any reason, I'll inform the guards that you are allowed to come back in."

"Well if that is all, I'll excuse myself now, I have somewhere I need to go." Link nodded before turning to leave, the King's eyes on his back.


	3. A Day Off

As he made his way through the castle he continued to get looks from almost everyone that he had passed by, at one point he saw the council member Jackson, along with a kid who looked to be his son, looked around the same age as Zelda, but they glared at him. At the moment though, Link didn't care, they don't know of all he had done for Hyrule, so he couldn't entirely blame them. Once he got to the castle gates though, the princess had come out to stop him.

"Where are you going Link?"

"I'm going to the Temple of Time just real quick, I need to do something." He debated upon telling her about what he was told but decided her father could tell her.

"If that's the case, allow me to accompany you, I grow bored of the castle. It'll be more exciting to go out for a little, even if it's to the Temple of Time."

"Are you sure Princess?"

"Quite, it'll be something to do since I never really have much to do anyways." She smiled, pulling off her head wrap and folding it up, allowing her hair down.

"If you insist."

"So why are you needing to go the the Temple?"

"I need to ask someone to clarify what your father told me, since I know he will have the answers."

"Who is that? Also what had my father told you of?" Zelda inquired.

"The sage who had told me about my family before, or at least somewhat. I met him there so I am hoping he will be there again. I'll leave it to your father to tell you about it." Link told her as they made their way through castle town.

Once they got to the large temple, Link pushed open one of the doors, allowing the princess to enter first before he did.

They made their way to the center of the large open room of the temple, the blonde hero stepped up onto the triforce. He moved his masks to get to his pouch, pulling out a yellow medallion with three triangles separated by three circles. He held it with both hands, closing his eyes and stood there for a while.

The princess, perplexed, watched him carefully but noticed nothing unusual as he stood there. Soon though she heard a hoot of an owl and flapping of wings, looking over she saw a large brown owl flying in front of the blonde boy.

"Kaepora, are you really Rauru?" Link asked, looking to the owl as he put the medallion back into his pouch.

"Indeed, I am the light sage Rauru, but I am forced to take on this form when I wish to come to this realm since my body has long since left this world. More importantly, why is it that you have called upon me? I do not believe it was to learn who I am." The owl asked, tilting his head.

Link nodded, getting right to the point. "I was asked today by the King to meet him in his chambers. He informed me of my younger life, my family, what they did for royalty and what had happened to them 10 years ago. Was that all true?" He asked then continued, "I know well that I am no Kokiri since you told me, and I know of what happened to my mother, but is the rest of the true? I just simply want to know and I am pretty sure you know what my life was before I went to the Kokiri forest."

Kaepora stared at him for a moment before he tilted his head again, "Indeed, that's all true. You would have grown up to be quite an accomplished knight, your family would have grown, at that time your destiny had already been decided, but your destiny was drastically thrown off track when your former home was attacked. Your destiny had changed all because your fate had already been sealed by the goddesses." He hooted.

"The goddesses again?" Link muttered then returned his gaze upon the owl. "If you say that it was all true then I will believe in the King. I have no choice but to accept this cursed fate. I will accept that no one will ever be aware of the things I did." He murmured, "That's all I needed Rauru, you can return to your realm." After he said that he turned away, heading to the doors.

Zelda looked between Link and the large owl a couple times before hurrying back to the blonde boy. "Where are you going to go now?"

"I was going to head to Lon Lon Ranch, I need to go and see how my horse is, though she might not remember me either." Link answered, turning to the left once they left the temple and begun to go through Castle Town.

"That's a long walk you know?"

"It's not terrible."

"Well I'm coming with you, it'll be fun." Zelda smiled.

"But princess you shouldn't walk that much—" He begun.

"Don't princess me, I'll be fine. It's not too terrible, like you said."

Link stared at her for a long moment then just smiled slightly, deciding to not argue with her since he already knew she was stubborn. "Fine, if you really want to, you can accompany me to the ranch, though please tell me if your feet hurt or you need a break."

"I'm not a baby, I can walk for a while!" She huffed.

He just smiled then turned to continue walking, Zelda walking right beside him.

They walked for about half an hour, chatting all the way to Lon Lon and every now and then they would both laugh, more so Zelda than Link, which would stop their walk for a couple minutes before they calmed down and continued and begun chatting again.

Soon they arrived at the base of the ranch; the whinnies of horses could be heard as they walked up the slope and as they got to the gates of the course Link stopped for a moment once he spotted the chestnut mare circling skittishly around a red haired girl in the center of the pen. The girl's voice gently rang over all of the horses, soon the whinnies quieted down and the chestnut mare now stood calmly standing by the girl.

Zelda stood watching then turned her gaze on Link once he begun to walk out to the pen, mentally scolding herself when she saw him pull out the blue ocarina, she completely forgot to grab it from him. Soon her thoughts were pushed aside as he begun to play along with the girl, surprising her and the horses but specifically the chestnut one who then excitedly ran over to the blonde hero. After a couple moment the girl returned to singing, the two together creating a beautiful song that went through out the ranch.

When they finished the girl started to walk over to him as he stroked the mare's muzzle, Zelda soon walking up as well.

"Do you remember me Epona?" Link asked, getting a happy neigh in return as she rubbed her head against his, so he guessed that she did. The fact that his companion remembered him had made him feel slightly better about returning.

"How do you know that song? Do I know you?" The red haired asked.

Link smiled slightly, "Well you did know me, but everyone has forgotten that time, well apparently all except for Epona here." He said simply, petting the horse's cheeks.

"What do you mean? How would Epona be able to remember? Do you know who I am?"

"Well I'll just say there is a whole other timeline that no one but me remembers it. Though yes, I do know you, you're Malon, daughter of Talon and you help out at this ranch and also Epona's song was your mother's as well." He smiled.

Malon stared at him a moment then shook her head, "Well either way, Epona seems to really trust and like you, much more than anyone here at the ranch. If this other timeline was real, she must have been with you a lot."

"She was, she was the main friend I had during the time, and I cared for her well so you don't need to worry about that." He said gently, getting a nudge from the horse.

"Well, what did you come here for?" Malon asked after a moment

"Oh, just to see how Epona was, and to see if she remembered me after I came back, but it looks like she's fine and she even remembered who I am, which made me feel a little bit better about coming back to this timeline." Link answered then turned to the princess, "Do you wish to go back to the castle now Princess?"

Zelda debated upon it then nodded, "Well we can start heading back, but I would like to stay out of CastleTown for a while longer, I have enjoyed not being there with you."

Malon heard she was the princess then quickly chimed in. "Oh you're the Princess? I have the white stallion that the King had asked for to give to you." She said then hurried over to the stables, going inside for a moment before opening the gates and leading out a beautiful white stallion, dressed in royal gear of gold and blue. Just like the horse that Zelda and Impa fled on during that day.

"Oh, it's beautiful, though I had not known that my father had arranged for me to receive a horse? When did he ask of this?" She asked.

Malon thought for a moment, "Well it was a couple weeks ago I think that he asked for one. This one was the best one we had that was almost old enough and trained. Would you like to ride him?"

"Oh, well I'm not quite that good at riding horses as of right now, I had lessons planned once I got a horse again."

"Well than allow me to control it and you can just ride with me, if you are comfortable with that. It'll make it easier to go back to the castle, since at least I know how to ride a horse because of my adventure." Link suggested.

The princess thought about it for a moment, "I'll be fine with that, I can trust you so I'll allow you to ride us back."

"Then should we get ready to head back?" Link said as he took the reins from Malon, but got an unhappy neigh from Epona. "I can't take you with me now Epona. You're not my horse right now so you'll have to wait until I am able to get you, in a more legal way than what we had to do before." He smiled, saying the last part a little quieter as he rubbed the mare's head. He then turned to Zelda, "Princess?" He said, offering his hand to help her up, which she took gladly to be pulled up on the horse. "I'll see you later, Malon." Link said before pulling on the stallion's reins.

On the ride back they chatted about pretty much the same stuff then they stopped to sit in the evening sun on the lush green fields. The two stayed there until dusk came upon them and they rode the rest of the way back, unaware of the watchful eyes in the shadows of the buildings when they came into Castletown. When they came through the castle gates, Zelda told him where to lead the stallion. Then Link helped the princess down and they both walked back into the castle, staying together until they had to separate when they came to Zelda's room.

They stood for a couple long silent moments before Zelda looked over to him, "Link, do you think that exiling Ganon was a good decision?"

He didn't even hesitate to answer in a firm voice, "Of course, he needs to leave and you should not allow anything to make you change your mind on that. I only wish you could remember what he had done before, so that you could truly believe in what I've been saying." He sighed, "Well either way, you were not wrong about telling your father to do that. Now you should probably get to sleep. I'll probably see you in the morning, good night Princess."

"Good night." She said after a minute then slowly closed her doors.

Link nodded as she closed the doors then turned to return to his own room. Just before he opened his door he felt eyes on him and quickly turned around but saw nothing suspicious, he scanned the halls a couple times before turning back to his door and quickly entering. He sighed as he walked over to the bed then just flopped into it, staring at the roof until sleep caught him.


	4. An Old Friend and an Uninvited Guest

The next several days passed by all the same except Ganon was arrested and put into the castle's dungeons until he was charged. Link also continued to feel as if he was being watched which he had made Zelda aware of since they started to spend more time together, but she didn't know of anyone who wanted to spy and told him to try to catch what the person looked like if it was someone. He did catch a glance but only of the short light brown hair and that they were probably not too much older than himself or Zelda but nothing really else before that person would disappear into the shadows of the castle, preventing him from catching them every time. Link tried to avoid sitting idly by in the castle, so he spent most of his time either going to Lon Lon Ranch with the princess or wandering Hyrule Field killing off stray monsters but then the day of Ganondorf's exile was announced and Ganondorf was to be summoned to the court room.

When that morning came around, the blonde was slow to get up when Impa had come to wake him, eventually though he finally got up and got his stuff back on. They then made their way to have breakfast, in which Zelda met with them halfway there. The walk there was shrouded with awkward silence, not wanted to talk of what was to come that day.

"Ganondorf Dragmire, upon investigation of the reports, the royal court and myself have decided that you are to be banished from Hyrule and are to return to Gerudo Desert with the charges of reckless endangerment and conspiring against the royal family. You have endangered the three tribes of this Kingdom and threaten royalty as well as trying to steal the sacred golden power. We of Hyrule do not wish to have a war, so this is your punishment rather than having you stay in the dungeons or to be executed. " The King declared, sitting in his throne with Link, Zelda and the rest of the council members around the King of the Gerudo, who was held at the center by chains.

The Gerudo sat shocked and confused on how his plan would have been figured out, he didn't tell anyone and did everything he had planned in secret, making sure it was impossible to figure out that it was him. "What? How would anyone report anything? How could you figure out it was me?!" He bellowed then felt eyes staring through him, he turned to see the blonde boy standing beside the princess, glaring at him with the most intensive stare he ever saw from a child. It must have been him, the kid he swore he had known before, as if he were from a dream. "It was you wasn't it kid? It must have, it would certainly explain why you suddenly appeared here, you came just to ruin everything!" The gerudo yelled, pulling on the chains that held him, putting immense tension on them, it almost seemed like he was going to break them.

Link didn't even flinch, he just continued to stare at him, intent on keeping himself from relpying to the tyrant.

"Restrain him!" The King ordered before continuing, "It means little of where we got this information, you have just now revealed that you indeed do these crimes, which settles any trial to follow. Take this criminal out of here, and escort him back to the desert, make sure he is thoroughly restrained with chains and can not escape." He ordered, the guards holding Ganon saluted then hurriedly walk Ganon out of the room.

"Curse you all! Curse all of Hyrule! Curse you... Boy!" Ganon bellowed as he was dragged out.

There was a very long silence that enveloped the room and then the king cut through the silence. "Now you all are dismissed." He called, then as the members begun to leave he called Zelda and Link. "Before you two start doubting this decision, previous to this, I did indeed send out scouts to the Zora and Goron tribes, they confirmed of what Link had told us of what Ganondorf had done. I believe you on the Kokiri tribe subject since I am unable to send someone there. I did inform the councilmembers of these events and they accepted it, you do not have to worry about it."

"Well at least that's good." Zelda murmured, "But I'll excuse myself now father, I was wishing to make sure of something." She told her father, getting a nod from him before she turned to Link. "Link, maybe in a little bit or so would you mind meeting up with me. I'll be waiting at the front of the castle. I want to show you something."

"Show me what exactly?"

"You'll see." She smiled slightly before going around him and leaving the room.

Link went to ask her but she had already turned and was heading down the hallway. He pondered what she could possible want to show him. Soon deciding to leave it be.

"Link, I must ask you a favor."

"What is that your majesty?"

"I know you are capable, so please, will you protect my daughter? She will not accept it if I were to assign anyone else as a guard since she would argue insistently that she was not in need of a bodyguard and she can take care of herself. But with you, whether she knew of you being a bodyguard or not, she most certainly wouldn't mind too much. Impa is a great guard for her, but because of the fact that she is also part of the council, and I ask her to do many things, she can not stay by my daughter's side all of the time." He told him, "Though if you must leave in the future, you are not bound here and can leave as you desire, I only wish that you come back to my daughter's side safely, for I might not always be by her." He said, his voice almost sounding saddened.

"If you are the one to ask this, I have no choice, but I am honored to be asked, and I accept it nonetheless. However, is something bothering you, your majesty?"

"No, nothing." He returned his gaze to where Zelda left. "Most people say I do not care, even if we had been drifting apart, I do still care about my daughter and only wish for her safety. I realize now that I was wrong to have treated my daughter the way I did for so long, but now it is too late, and I can do little about it." He murmured, "Well that's all Link, I am going to return to my chambers to finish a document, and I am sure Zelda has something good to show you, so you shouldn't keep her waited, sometimes she is quite impatient." He said, then excused himself to return to his room.

The blonde kid soon followed the King until he came to the main staircase and split off to head to the front gates. Just as he walked to the doors, James, the council member's son, walked through the doors. He was slightly taller than Link but was a scrawny kid dressed in dull noble cloths.

"Oh look, it's the poor 'hero'" The brown haired boy smirked, "Oh what other stories do you have to tell now of your adventure?" He mocked.

"First, I'm not as humble as you think, just go ask his majesty, and second, even if I wanted to tell you of my adventure, you lack the sense to understand anything, so I'd just be wasting my time with you." Link remarked, continuing to walk past the arrogant child and started to open the doors.

"You're just a self-proclaimed hero who has no knowledge of the real world!"

The blonde stopped abruptly, then quickly turned around, grabbing the boy by his collar, picking him up a couple inches off the floor. "I am not a self-proclaimed hero. If you saw a glimpse of what I had lived in, you would have nightmares for the rest of your foolish life pretty boy! I don't care who believes me or who doesn't, I know what happened and if I could I would throw you into that Hyrule to let you see the hell it was." He snapped, roughly throwing the boy to the floor.

"The princess and King are foolish to believe in such an idiot." James growled.

Link laughed darkly, crouching beside the boy, "I could easily kill anyone who threatens the royal family." He smirked, standing erect again. "I am even her highness' personal bodyguard, appointed by the King himself." The blonde, walked away, having no time for this, he had a meeting to get to.

When he left the castle, he found the princess standing off to the side of the castle, grooming her white stallion. "Your highness, what is it that you wanted to show me?"

The princess stopped what she was doing, a smile creeping along her face as she turned, putting her stuff down. "Something you'll probably like, here follow me." She beckoned him to follow her, leaving her horse in a servant's hands. The two walked farther down along the side of the castle, then soon stopped at the horse pens. There were multiple horses in it, Zelda walked past the other pens before she arrived at the last one. "Here."

Link questioned what she meant, but then a very familiar whinny sounded from that pen. He ran over, eagerly looking in, there she was, the very young mare who's pelt stuck out like a sore thumb compared to the other horses. That chestnut mare who followed him through his journey and was his closest friend. "Epona!" He sounded enthusiastically, hurriedly opening the gate and rushing up to his friend, wrapping his arms around her neck as they got together, run his hand over her fur. "Zelda, how did you get her here?"

Zelda was surprised at the fact he actually said her name, but just smiled rather than telling him to address her properly like many others would have demanded of him. "After I saw you two together the other day when we went to Lon Lon, I wanted to be able to give you at least something good. Seeing your relationship with Epona made me want give you her so I asked my father about it and went to the ranch to persuade Malon." She came up behind him, "Do you like your gift?"

He turned to her, suddenly hugging her tightly, "Thank you, Zelda, I appreciate it a lot. I missed her." He then turned back to his horse, "It is really nice to have something that remembers my adventure other than me. It feels like it was all a dream since no one remembers, but I know it wasn't, it actually had to make me feel a little lonely." He said, stoking the mare's muzzle.

"I wish we knew of a way to make people remember, I want to remember just to make it where you didn't have to feel lonely. I also just feel like I have known you before this, besides the other timeline," She murmured.

"If there is a way, I'll figure it out eventually, but I wouldn't want you to remember it your highness... Well actually I don't know how to feel, I want you to remember so I'm not the only person to, but I also don't want you to so you don't have to remember that horrid place and all that happened, all the people who died, especially for you." Link explained his eyes showing a hint of sorrow. "Though, you did know me, but you don't remember it, or just don't know it was me. But as I said, you'll have to ask you're father about that, he would be able to tell you better."

"I had forgotten to ask, maybe I should, I have been wanting to know why I feel this way. But I think I would be fine if I remembered, I want to know what you did fully and what happened, I want to remember you." She smiled softly.

Link stared at her for a moment before he returned the smile.

"Well Link, what are you going to do now?"

"Actually, I am supposed to stay with you. As of today I am your personal bodyguard, under the order of the King himself, though he did say I could leave if I wanted to, so it's really just an option."

"What really? Did he actually assign you to me? I told him multiple times before I could take care of myself." She huffed, crossing her arms. "But I guess now none of those nobles would complain about having someone of a lower status around me so much. But why did he assign you? You are too youn-"

"You're highness..." The boy growled.

"Physically, not mentally." She corrected herself, "Either way, I can't imagine my father doing that, he's quite strict with those kind of rules."

"Well he did, and now I will stay with you."

"Now I suppose I have no choice but to allow it. Well right now, I'll allow you to stay with Epona if you want, I am going to go get myself some lunch, you are welcome to come along though." She told him as she turned to leave, her voice sounded a bit sad.

The forgotten hero nodded in response then returned to his conpanion, rubbing her muzzle.

Zelda made her way through the castle until she came to the dinning room, she asked the cooks for something before turning to go to the table, basically turning into James, who just randomly appared behind her.

"I apologize your highness, but I had a question for you."

She huffed, but nodded anyways, "What is that then James?"

"Do you believe in that lowly boy?"

"His statements are indeed not the most reliable as some others, but as we investigate the events that have happened and of the three tribes, what he says becomes more believable. So yes, I do."

"Do you like that boy your highness?" He said, as if to mock her.

"No I do not." She replied plainly, "And do not speak to me in such a tone."

"Oh sorry, I meant no offence." He said, "I was just wondering, since you seemed to be interested in him lately and have been accompanying him. However, since you said otherwise, I will believe that, now excuse me." He bowed slightly before he turned to leave her in the dinning room.

Zelda glared at where he left before she walked up and sat down at the long table, waiting patiently for her meal.

It had been a good 40 minutes or so before Link finally decided to leave Epona, he had been away from Zelda probably long enough so he began looking through the castle for her. After a while he did indeed find her, but he soon found a feeling of empathy for the heir of Hyrule growing within himself. There she sat, completely alone at the large dinning table, there were no servants, chefs or even her father. No one was there to keep her company. She seemed to have already finished her meal and was just siting there. He realized now why she said he was welcome to tag along, because she knew no one was going to be there. He walked up, taking the seat to the right of her, surprising the princess.

"Link, you surprised me, I wasn't really thinking you were going to come." She looked down to her hands, "Though, do not mistake, I am quite glad that you did, thank you."

"Do you always eat alone your highness?"

"A lot of the time, yes. Most meals I eat alone, with the rare occasion that my father eats with me. Impa is more often to eat with me than anyone else, but she is busy now." She explained, "Well, Link, were you wanting something to eat? I can order you something if you wish."

"I suppose I haven't eaten yet, so I will take you up on that offer." He smiled as she rang a bell nearby, in which soon a servant came out with a tray.

Everything was black for what felt like eternity until buildings finally appeared, but after a moment they suddenly burst into flames in front of the blonde boy. Everything caught fire around him, limp bodies lay scattered around which soon caught flame as well. The boy stood staring into the flame then suddenly turned around to muffled sounds, there before the fires stood a silhouette of a taller girl, then the girl's black silhouette flooded with color, revealing it to be Zelda when she was older. She seemed to be screaming out to him but he couldn't comprehend what she was saying, her words were all blurred together and she moved slowly. Then suddenly everything was turned dark red, all the buildings and the girl faded into the blood color. He looked around worriedly until his gaze landed upon two other silhouettes,one looking more masculine compared to the other scrawny one. One was taller than the other, the taller one having an unusually long nose but the shorter one had no distinct features. The two turned to each other, they seemed to be talking with one another before turning back to the boy. The taller one seemed to have laughed before disappearing along with the shorter one. Everything was left red for a couple long moments then there was a glimpse of amber before it all swirled into darkness.

Link snapped awake, shooting up in his bed, his body had started to sweat. Soon the cool night air washed over him, causing his skin to slightly bump up. He pondered over the dream, but what he couldn't get was why there was two other silhouettes and who they could be, they had appeared to be together. After that he knew he wouldn't be able to fall asleep and as if by instinct he quickly went to Zelda's chambers then took a quick peek in, but rather than finding the princess in her bed he saw her sitting at her desk reading a book by candlelight.

"Your highness?"

Zelda jumped, turning around sharply, then calmed down once she saw it was Link, "Link, what are you doing here at these hours? You should be asleep."

"I should be the one saying that to you, I'm used to not sleeping well, but why are you up right now?" He asked, taking a step in to close the door but no further. "Is something wrong?"

"I woke from a dream, it was unsettling."

"What was this dream about?" Link asked, curious now.

"At first I stood staring towards the castle from Castletown, a very beautiful sight. I stood there enjoying the view but then I heard screaming, it sounded familiar. I had turned to see who it came from but everything was burning and when I turned to see the castle is was in ruins and burning as well. I had ran towards it but there was a figure standing at the gates, around my height it looked like but then I heard laughing before everything fell apart. But just before I awoke I saw the Triforce, whole with all three pieces, glowing a brilliant gold, then after a moment the Triforce of Courage started to break as Power grew larger with a red shade to it which overtook the other pieces." She explained, "Something horrible is going to come over Hyrule, I worry for the people and for you, Link. It seemed like something is going to happen to you."

He looked at her for a moment then smiled faintly, "You do not need to care for my safety, I am simply at your disposal as I was before, your Highness." He bowed slightly, "But since you are alright, I will take my leave then. I apologize for intruding into your room, I know it was wrong of me." Turning he went to open the door but was stopped as Zelda grabbed his shoulder.

"Link, why did you come? You seemed to have been worried when you came in, did something happen?"

"For the same reason as you, I woke up from a nightmare, similar to yours and it had you in it, so I had to check on you to make sure you were alright."

"Would you want to describe it to me?"

"No, it's fine, but what I find unsettling is that my dream had a younger boy in it who stood by a taller man who looked slightly like Ganon, though they were just a silhouettes so I can't be for sure."

"Really? I can't think of anyone who could be the other silhouette. We'll have to be careful and pay attention to the others."

"Wait, what about the person who's been spying on me?" He suggested.

"Possibly, but we've only caught glimpses of them so we can not say for sure who it is or if they are involved in these dreams."

Link thought for a moment before shrugging, "Well I was just suggesting, anyways your Highness, you should get back to sleep, tomorrow will be busy."

"What about you?"

"I'll probably be unable to go back to sleep so I was going to practice with my sword more."

"Then would you mind staying in here with me, just to stand guard since I would feel safer then I might be able to sleep."

Link thought for a moment then just nodded, "If you wish that, but I am going to go grab my equipment then I'll be back." Turning again, he left the room, leaving Zelda for the moment.

She sighed, moving back to her bed and sitting down on the edge. The room was dead silent, except for the occasional muffled hoot of an owl to be heard from outside. The hoots sounded familiar and they grew increasingly more common and louder until she felt a breeze, turning to see that the doors to her balcony were suddenly open. A unusually large brown owl was perched on the railing frantically flapping it's wings and hooting as if something were wrong. Then there was the sound of steps making Zelda quickly turn around but only saw a flash of glittering amber before everything turned black.


	5. Kidnap

Link pounded on the the princess' door, having heard a scream, "Princess? Are you alright? Open the door!" He yelled in, ramming into the door with his shoulder.

"Link, what in Din's name are you doing? Especially at these hours." Impa's irritated voice came from down the hall before she came up to him.

"We need to get in Impa, I heard Zelda scream, I only left for a few minutes." He explained quickly.

Immediately after he had said he heard her scream, Impa moved him out of the way and started ramming the door herself, but unlike Link she busted in the door with only a few rams.

When they got in they found Zelda knocked unconscious, slung over a Gerudo's shoulder out on the balcony and the only reason she was still there was because of the owl pecking and clawing at the Gerudo's face, keeping her distracted.

"Stop right there!" The sheikah yelled surprisingly, dashing to confront the invader.

The Gerudo looked shocked at the sheikah, but quickly turned back to the balcony railings and slashed at the owl, cutting it's left wing. Link watched it fall, then charged forward, lashing out at the female with his sword. "Release the princess!" He demanded, catching her arm with the edge. He heard the woman grunt before he took a hit straight to his forehead with the side of her arm. He hit the floor, staying stunned for only a moment before he got back up just as the Gerudo broke free of Impa's grip and ran towards the balcony again, finally being able to jump out off the balcony, but was unaware that Link had quickly followed, jumping out after them.

Just before they were to land on the ground below, Link was able to grab the women's arm, yanked her towards him, successfully pulling Zelda off of her shoulder, kicking her away. He quickly flipped around, wrapped his arms around Zelda's waist, tightening his arms around her so that she was held securely at his chest. Just after he tightened his arms they roughly the bushes that lined around the castle and broke quite a few of the branches, sinking further into the bush.

As they hit Link had heard a couple snaps from his torso, he guessed he had broken a few ribs when they landed. He groaned painfully as he forced himself to sit up, his breathing jagged and labored, glaring to the Gerudo who made her way to where he sat. But suddenly the Sheikah nursemaid landed between them, her blade in hand.

"You will not get the Princess again. You won't get away with what you have done, I will personally make sure of that." She growled, charging the women warrior.

Link observed the battle as metal clanged through out the darkness then turned quickly to the sound of a cracked hooting. There the unusually large brown owl lay, on the grass with blood seeping from it's wing, though Link could hardly see how bad it was in the night. He repositioned Zelda so that he held her bridal style before he pushed himself off of the bush, falling straight to the ground, but he kept a firm hold on Zelda. He started to cough in which he had sworn he had coughed up blood before he stopped. he then let go of the princess' legs in order to reach over and pull the owl over to him.

Link looked back up to Impa then caught something in the corner of his eye, turning quickly, he saw another Gerudo warrior charging towards him. He closed his eyes tightly, and just as he did so a bright blue light flashed, once it subsided, Link, Zelda and the owl were surrounded by a blue crystal-like shield.

The boy watched as Impa fought the Gerudo warriors, then looked down to Zelda, since now he could see. She didn't seem to be physically harmed, just simply unconscious. The owl was bleeding somewhat heavily from the wing, but now he could see it's features, taking Link by surprise, it looked remarkably similar to Kaepora, could he have come back? But that wouldn't make sense, since he is just a spirit. He looked closer, the owl did indeed have almost the exact same markings, but then suddenly the owls wounds slowly begun heal themselves until the owl appeared to not have been harmed at all. It's eyes flashed with a bright light. Parts of his dream flashed before his eyes and he could hear faint voices warning him before everything returned to darkness.

Impa stood over him and Zelda, "Are you alright?"

Link grunted as he pushed himself up, "I'm fine" He looked over to Zelda, who still lay in his arms, but the owl was no where to be seen. "Where are the Gerudo?" He asked, grabbing Zelda back up again, ignoring the pain that shot through him from his torso.

"I was able to capture them, after that bright light flashed they seemed to be stunned, so it was easier to immobilize them so that the guards could take them." She then lightly poked Link's chest, making him grunt. "And obviously you aren't fine, I'm no fool, you dropped from the balcony and landed on your back, my guess you broke a couple ribs. Can you walk alright?"

"I'll be fine walking." He murmured, then tried to push himself up but ended up falling back down. "Just in a moment." He mumbled, keeping a tight hold on Zelda.

"Here, let me take Zelda. That'll make it easier for you to get up." She said, soon taking Zelda from his arms and into her own.

Link nodded then was able to push himself up, groaning as he did so. Then followed Impa back into the castle and back up to Zelda's room. Impa soon told the guards to be on high alert and to scout out both the castle grounds and the town for any Gerudo. She then walked into the princess' room and set her down on her bed. "Link, lay down on the other side from the princess, I'll do what I can to fix you up, but I can not fully fix broken bones. Though do take off your shirt so I can see where they broke" And he did just that, slipping his shirt off before laying the the opposite side from the Princess.

Impa went around the bed to Link then place her hands gently across his chest, getting a grunt from Link before her hands begun to glow gently.

Link sighed as some of the pain was relieved from his body. Soon Impa stopped, saying she would be back and left the room, coming back after a good 15 minutes later. She came back in with a cup then handing it to the boy.

"Drink this, it'll help so that you can breath easier, without so much pain."

Taking the cup, Link grumbled, "It's going to taste bad isn't it?"

The sheikah just chuckled slightly, "When does any kind of medicine taste good?"

The boy just mumbled something under his breath before quickly chugging down the cup's contents, gagging afterwards. "Oh goddesses, I thought health potions were bad. I would easily choose health potions over this stuff." He grunted.

"Well that will help a bit, not as good as a health potion for the healing effects, but is probably still better for you." She said, heading to the door. "I will leave the Princess in your care, I need to go to the King and report the events of tonight." She told him over her shoulder as she left the room.

Link watched her leave then turned his gaze onto the unconscious Princess. He had been expecting something to happen, but was not expecting it to be so soon. He had to be more alert as well, it was his duty to guard the princess, and to protect Hyrule.

Soon his thoughts were interrupted as a hoot sounded through out the room, making the boy look towards the sound, finding the large brown owl perched on the end of the bed.

"How did you get in here?" Link questioned, looking over to make sure the balcony doors were closed, in which they were. The owl just ruffling his feathers, tilting his head slightly. "Are you Kaepora? Of course if you were you would never shut up." He mumbled. The owl hooted as he started flapping his wings, blowing everything about.

"Okay okay, I take back my statement. But what are you doing here?"

The brown owl hooted again before jumping down onto the soft blankets and made his way to where the princess lay, he then pressed his feathery face against hers. Just as he did so a golden light flashed, surrounding Zelda for a moment before fading away. After the owl moved back to perch on the end of the bed again, he just stared towards the princess.

Link too turned back towards Zelda, who soon opened her eyes, quickly pushing herself up and looking around.

"Link? What happened? Why is there that owl perched on the end of my bed?"

"Well, you were almost kidnapped by a Gerudo who jumped off your balcony and then Impa had to fight off a couple Gerudo warriors. Though, what do you mean by that owl?"

"That would explain why my balcony doors opened suddenly earlier, I did think it was odd." She thought then looked back to the brown owl. "He was perched on the railings outside, flapping and hooting crazy like before I seemed to have been knocked out." She told him.

"Was he?"

"Yeah."

"Interesting, He actually stopped the Gerudo long enough for Impa and I to help. But believe it or not he actually got a really bad cut in the process, he stopped the Gerudo who were outside and seemed to have just woken you up."

"What? But he looks fine now and how could he have done that? He's just an owl-Wait, what about your friend? The sage right?"

"I was thinking it as a possibility, but he doesn't talk, thankfully, but Kaepora could at least speak while in owl form." Just as he said that the owl flapped his wings again. "And he keeps doing that when I say its a good thing he doesn't talk."

"Interesting, I do not know." She said and as she went to reach for the owl he disappeared and just when he did Zelda's father came into the room.

"Zelda are you alright?"

"F-Father, what are you doing here?" Zelda asked, taken by surprise that her father showed up.

"Am I not allowed to make sure my daughter is alright after such a thing happened?"

Zelda hesitated, "I apologize father, I just didn't expect to see you here, you very rarely come into my room, and even rarer because you are worried about me." She admitted, looking down to her hands.

"I never had a reason to, but my daughter was almost kidnapped. Is that not enough reason to come and see you?"

"Oh no Father, that's not what I meant, I just..." She stopped mid sentence, her expression completely changing. "Thank you for worrying about me Father, I am fine." She said plainly.

The King nodded, "Good, then I'll excuse myself. Link, take care of her." He said over his shoulder as he turned to leave, soon doing so and heading down the hallway.

Link turned to his friend, just staring at her, not quite knowing what to say, but she just turned to him.

"Well thank you Link for protecting me, I apologize that you got hurt. If you wish, you can return to your room, it is completely up to you."

"I already told you I would stay with you for the night, anyways I am ordered to do so anyways." He pressed, forcing himself off the bed, grabbing his sword and bow as he did so, sliding his bow over his shoulders and fixing it so the sting fit comfortably across his chest.

"What are you going to do?"

"I was going to practice with my sword some more."

"But you are hurt."

"Do not mind my wellbeing your highness. I need to practice some and I have been in much worse conditions."

"But Link-"

"It's fine. I have to protect you, it doesn't matter what my body is like." He told her, firmly holding his sword and begun swinging it in set patterns, much like how the Hyrulean knights do their practices as Zelda soon noticed.

The two stayed like that for the remainder of the night, they didn't talk too much, just shared a few thoughts, and their fears of not knowing what was to come after that night and worries for Hyrule. Knowing that they would be unable to return to sleeping, they waited anxiously for morning to come.

A/N: So I don't know if I should continue writing this or not. I do have a few things written down for ahead but I personally do not think this is that good of a story and I can not think of other things to add in at the moment.


	6. Farewell

**A/N: So this chapter is much shorter than all of the others, sorry, but I couldn't think of much more to add in so I just left it like this.**

The next few weeks went by unsteadily for the Gerudo and Hylians. Zelda informed Link of the what she would hear from her father's meetings and the rumors that circulated through out the castle, many people worried about war breaking out between the Gerudo and Hylian. From that day forth, Link about never left Zelda's side, even at night, and not only because the King asked it of him. Apparently the scouts that were sent out by the King would mostly have to stop Gerudo from coming into Hyrule, some had to fight them back into the desert. Soon after the scouts were coming back with their reports, one came back with unsettling news, which most expected but wished it not to happen: Ganondorf declared war upon Hyrule, backed up with most of the Gerudo. And thus the King ordered for men that were at least 17 to join the Hyrulean military, beginning their training as soon as they got in. Link too practiced more, whenever and wherever he could, this concerned Zelda slightly since he would stay awake while in her room doing his routines and hardly got any sleep. Soon Link found himself stuck between leaving or staying because Zelda had told him multiple times now he wouldn't be able to fight. He then decided to go to the King himself, hoping to be able to do at least something, so he waited until later at night when the King would retire to his chambers for the day, then he would be able to actually speak to him properly.

Link stood outside the Kings large doors, debating with himself but eventually he got himself to knock on the doors, saying it was just him before waiting on the OK, and walked in just when he did. "Sir, I wish to help."

The King just looked at him, staring at him for a couple minutes. "What do you mean? Help with what?" He asked, hoping he didn't want to do what he thought he was.

"I want to fight for Hyrule in this war." He told him.

"You what?" He was taken back, sitting up in his chair.

"I want to fight."

"No."

"Why can I not?" Link growled, his fists clenched as he stood in front of the King's desk.

"Link, you are still a young boy, younger than Zelda at that, you cannot fight in a war," The king replied evenly.

"That's foolish, I may be a boy of 10 years old but you know fully well that I can take care of myself and could aid the Hylian forces in this war. I have lived through, and ended, a war with Ganondorf before, not to mention I was the one who had defeated him within that timeline, I am certainly capable of doing it again."

"I am aware of your ability to fight and the adventure you had, but that does not change the rules. Men must be at least 17 to fight, and most men of that age do not get accepted except for if they are truly needed. You may be able to fight but I cannot allow you to fight in this battle and neither would anyone else allow you. You are simply too young, whether you are the Hero of Time or not."

"You cannot underestimate Ganondorf! He doesn't know that I have defeated him, I can truly—"

"Link that is enough. There is nothing to be done to allow you to fight. You have to sit this one out," The King interrupted.

Link just looked down at his fists then reluctantly nodded, "Alright your Majesty, though since you said I could, I wish to leave so that I can begin to search for a lost friend,"

"A lost friend?"

"Yes, she left once I finished my adventure. She was a very close friend of mine who stayed with me through my adventure, I just wish to know why she left, if I can find her that is."

"Well I would not be able to deny you that wish, you do what you want. Just come back eventually."

"I do not know where I will go, but I know I'll be returning to the Lost Woods, I hope it does not take me too long to return. Be careful Your Majesty, Ganondorf is ruthless and will do whatever he can to get what he wants." Link warned as he turned around, soon leaving the room and returning to his to get his stuff before he was to make his way out of Castletown.

Zelda stood just outside the drawbridge, gazing out towards the Lon Lon Ranch and patiently waiting for the one she wished to meet.

"Your Highness?" A familiar voice asked from behind.

"...You are already leaving this land of Hyrule, aren't you?" A moment of silence followed before the young princess broke it as she turned around to face the boy once again standing in front of her, his horse standing right next to him, her hands held together at her chest, "Even though it was only a short time, I feel like I've known you forever. I'll never forget the days we spent together in Hyrule... And I believe in my heart that a day will come when I shall meet you again... Until that day comes, please...Take this..." She smiled as she reached her hands out, the Ocarina of Time held within them, "I am praying... I am praying that your journey be a safe one. If something should happen to you, remember this song..." She brought the ocarina to her lips and played out a specific set of notes.

Link recognized the song right away and when she finished he smiled faintly, "The Song of Time, you taught it to me."

"I did?" She asked as she handed him the Ocarina.

"Yes, as you know, it was needed to open the door of time, and was useful for many other things throughout my adventure," He took the instrument to his lips as she had, soon playing the same notes that he had played multiple times before. As he finished Zelda was staring blankly, which worried him, "Princess, are you alright? You are staring at nothing."

"That... I remember now," She murmured, looking over to him.

"Remember? Remember what?"

"You were the boy I met in the market that day before you came to the castle gardens. We spent the whole day together until the Gerudo ambushed us and I had to go back to the castle with Impa. I must have sounded crazy, going on about dreams being prophecies about you and Ganondorf."

It took Link a moment to realize what she was talking about, "You finally remember, though why did you remember it now, and how?" He asked.

"The Song of Time is precious to me, in multiple ways, so I assume when you played it I was able to remember it," She surmised, "Or maybe it is just because it is the Song of Time."

He thought about it a moment then shrugged, "Who knows, either way, it is good to know you remembered, but as usual you have horrible timing with important things," He smiled sadly, slipping the Ocarina into his pouch gently before he climbed up on Epona and settled down on in the curve of her back since she currently lacked a saddle.

"When will you be returning?"

"I do not know, but I hope it won't take too terribly long," He said as he grabbed Epona's reins.

"Have a safe journey then, I hope to see you again one day."

"I am sure I will be back, this is my home after all," He assured her. "But you need to be cautious of Ganondorf. You know what he is capable of. He has the whole Gerudo tribe behind him since none of them remember what he has done," He said, worry hinted in his voice.

"I'll be sure to tell my father and Impa, if it gets too bad I could always just become a boy again," She finished in a jokingly manner, though she knew it wasn't quite an appropriate time.

A small grin appeared on the boy's face, "You could indeed..." A moment of silence fell between the two. Link then faced forward and silently urged his companion into a trot.

"Wait, Link." Zelda said quickly, walking up to Epona's side. She seemed to have hesitated before looking back up to him. "Close your eyes and reach out your hand, I have something to give to you, which I wanted to give to you before."

Link did just that, though just as he closed his eyes, he felt the warmth of her hand gripping his and pushing down, it felt like she was climbing up onto Epona. But he then opened his eyes in shock when he felt warm gentle lips pressed against the corner of his mouth, more on his cheek then his lips.

The blonde blushed, his face turning to a deep red, staring as she pulled away, dropping back down to the ground. "Your Highness? What-"

"Please, come back safely and take care of yourself on your journey, I'll be awaiting for your return, so don't take too terribly long." She smiled faintly, backing up a few paces and then bowing slightly, "Thank you, Link, for everything and I'm not just saying that as a princess with her kingdom as her only thought."

"It is an honor to serve you your highness. I hope to be able to come back to serve you once more." He said then turned back forwards, "Well, I'll see you later princess, take care." He took the reins again then Epona trotted away, leaving the princess alone at the draw bridge.

The Princess looked out upon Hyrule field for a good few minutes then turned around quickly to the sound of someone coming up to her. Turning around quickly, she realized who it was; Jackson, the council member of her father's court.

"Your Highness, what are you doing out here? So far from the castle?" He questioned, looking as if he were trying to hide a grin as he talked to her.

"I highly doubt it matters to you what I am doing, and I do not need to tell you of my actions. But I wonder what you are doing here during the day, you about never leave the castle until the day is over."

"Am I not allowed to go into castletown?" He growled.

"Well whatever, it does not concern me so do what you want, I will be returning to the castle." She turned around and begun walking back to the castle.

"Oh it will concern you, that is a certainty." The council member snickered, making sure the princess was a fair distance away so she couldn't hear him before laughing as he walked into the shadows of a nearby building.


	7. Unprepared

"...Wake...Wake up...You need to wake up...Zelda!" A familiar voice sounded, tearing through the Princess' groggy, dreaming mind.

Zelda sluggishly opened her eyes until her eyes finally adjusted to the dark room and saw Impa almost frantically staring at her, then she fully jerked awake and swiftly sat up, looking around. "Impa, what is wrong?" She asked, setting her gaze back on her sheikah attendant.

"I need to get you out now, hurry and put these on." Impa told her quickly, handing her a dark grey robe.

Zelda was confused but slipped on the robe anyways, "What is going on?" She asked seeing her nursemaid carrying her Giant blade along with her Naginata rather than just her blade and fully dressed in her battle armor, which she very rarely did within the castle. The sheikah quickly turned around and gathered a few sets of Zelda's clothing before pretty much pushing the Princess out of the room. They made their way to the back of the castle, sneaking through most of the hidden passageways that almost no one knew of. "Why are we taking these ways? Will you tell me what is going on and what about my father?" Zelda asked, almost demanding as she got drug through the pitch blackness.

There was silence for a long couple moments before Impa sighed, still trekking through the dark. "He has been assassinated, only around 10 minutes ago." She murmured slowly.

Zelda froze, only moving because of Impa dragging her along. "What? My father was killed?" She whispered, "It is just the same as before..."

"What do you mean?"

"When Link was leaving I was able to remember, my father had been killed in the other timeline that we all had forgotten, by Ganon's forces." She murmured, "I just hoped it would be different this time..." She just looked into the darkness, "Impa, what fully happened?"

"Everything was normal until about 20 minutes ago but then we found Gerudo sneaking through the castle, we were able to stop the first ones to come in, but then as if from nowhere more and more started to pour into the castle, and then monsters begun to appear once the Gerudo were able to lower the drawbridge. I was originally with a few of the captains protecting the King, but he told me to come and protect you, even with my life."

Zelda just kept quiet until they came out of the passage behind the castle, everything now illuminated by a faint light. Turning to the left and made their way to leave the castle grounds but just as they were to turn around the corner they got stopped by flapping wings suddenly in their faces. Soon recognizing this bird, being the owl who was around quite a lot lately, especially around her.

"What are you doing-" Zelda started, but was quickly interrupted by Impa pushing her to the wall and practically into the bushes that lined the castle, the owl soon landing in front of them on a thicker branch. Just as they did so a group of moblins came around the corner suddenly, one looking around until it settled on where they were hiding. The one sung his club at them, but not with the intention of hitting them, but to scare the owl. In response the owl flapped his wings quickly, lifting up off the branch and moving to another one but remained in front of the two women. The moblin just made a low grumbling sound before turning back to its pals then made their way past the group and followed the back of the castle. Impa kept hold of Zelda until she no longer saw the moblins then pulled her to the back wall guarding the castle, soon getting to a part of the bush that crept it's way almost all of the way up the wall. Impa pushed aside a couple branchs, revealing another very well hidden passageway, one even Zelda hadn't known of before, which she thought would have been nice to know of to get out of the castle area when she would try to sneak away before.

After a couple minutes in the dark, they came out into the trees that were behind, but Impa drug Zelda a good distance away before settling a little, the owl following them all the way. Zelda looked back to the castle, looking past she saw CastleTown almost all enveloped in flames. The group watched for a good ten minutes before Zelda turned to the owl on the ground beside her.

"I want to know, who are you owl? Are you Keapora like Link thought?" She asked, crouching slightly to actually look at the owl. He just hooted, his eyes growing brighter before a light suddenly flashed, after it grew dark again the light medallion spun in front of Zelda's face.

"So you are Rauru, why are you here?" She asked, but the owl remain quiet until she finally took the medallion, once she did so he transformed into his Hylian form, standing in front of the two women, bowing slightly to the princess before looking between the two. "Evening your highness, I came to help Link, where is the Hero of Time exactly?" He asked, getting a slightly sad look in response.

"He left four days ago."

"Where to?"

"I do not fully know, he left to find a friend. What are you going to do know since he is not here?"

Rauru thought for a moment, "Are you currently in possession of the Ocarina of Time?"

Zelda shook her head, "No I am not, I gifted it to Link for his journey."

"Oh, well that changes my plans. Initially I was going to have Link re-awaken the sages with the Ocarina, but neither are here so I suppose I will stay with you instead. I may not have a physical form but I can aid and protect you with what power I have in my owl form. I am assuming that she does not remember that time, along with her duties?" He asked, gesturing towards Impa.

Zelda shook her head, "No she does not, we had not found a way to return the memories of the Sages, so all of them besides myself, have not remembered anything."

Rauru just sighed quietly, "Unfortunate, however we can do little to do about it."

Impa just stared, not quite understanding, but pushing that aside, she turned to the princess, "Your Highness, sorry to interrupt, but we should find somewhere to go, somewhere safer."

"Do you have any ideas then Impa?"

"Kakariko, there we will be safe, at least to re-group with the rest of the knights."

"Re-group? How would they know to go there?"

"Before this all happened, I had a meeting with the captains and your father's court, saying if anything were to happen where we were forced to separate, to re-group there, as long as it was still standing." The sheikah told her, beckoning for Zelda to follow as she turned and made her way through the trees, Rauru following behind in his owl form once again.

"So there should be others getting there in a couple days?"

"Yes,"

From that point on they remain silent, Impa stopping them every now and then, to make sure nothing was around before they would continue, staying close to the forest line until the river before Zelda looked back once again, just to be drug away again by Impa. From what they saw monsters were once again roaming the field, Lon Lon Ranch was fine, monsters seemed to just ignore the area all together. Everywhere they looked, the rest of Hyrule looked relatively fine, left alone from Ganondorf's forces. Once they came to the bridge Impa was first to notice flames started to tower above the walls of Kakariko. Then immediately Impa ran ahead, yelling at Zelda to quickly follow then she dashed up the stairs and disappearing around the corner.

"Impa, wait up!" The blonde called, running as fast as her dress would allow, after her sheikah attendant into the village.

Turning around the final corner to Kakariko, Zelda suddenly halted, staring at the village she used to go to quite often with Impa. The houses were almost all on fire and monsters were terrorizing the people, at one point she saw a large flock of cuccos chasing down moblins, pecking mercilessly at the monsters, causing her to shrink back slightly, "Wow, Link was telling the truth about those birds, they really are little devils when provoked.." She murmured, but was quick to jump back to what was going on and ran further into the town, intent on trying to protect the citizens, at least who she could.

She ran to the middle of the town, turning a corner she found a couple of adults, clinging tightly onto one another with two moblins standing in front of them. The girl had straight red hair which stretched down to the middle of her back, and wore a dress with a large purple stripe at the bottom, while the guy had curly brown hair that just reached the base of his neck, he wore white tights and a white long sleeved shirt with a royal blue jacket and shoes.

"Darling, what should we do? Are we going to die here?"

"We are at least together at the end Honey." The man said, holding his significant other closer than before.

The leading moblin growled, lifting his club high in the air, swinging it down towards the two. Then just as it was to crack across their skulls a bright light flashed, stunning the monsters, it faded in an instant and the inseparable pair were shocked to see the princess of Hyrule standing before them, a shining protective blue crystal surrounding them.

"How can you call yourself a man? You don't even try to protect her. Even if it meant your life, you should protect the one you love." Zelda told him, standing straight with her right hand pointed towards the gradually growing amount of moblins as they tried their best to break down the barrier.

Darling just gasped dramatically, "You may be princess but you have no right to say that."

"You don't know anything-"

 **CRACK**

The two screamed, snapping back into their situation, hugging tightly once again. Zelda just shook her head then glared at the moblin that caused the fairly large crack that now stretched almost all of the way across her barrier. She grunted, "I suppose my magic is not as powerful as it was formerly, but then again, I am in my younger body." She then clenched her right hand into a fist, causing a dome of fire to burst outward from the blue

crystal, burning all of the moblins surrounding them and pushing the monsters back, she released the barriar after that.

Zelda stumbled slightly then looked back to the pair, "Well? What are you doing? Go get somewhere safe!" She ordered, not waiting to watch them scramble away as one of the moblins was able to get up close enough and swing his club at her.

She was able to swiftly dodge to the left, or at least that's what she thought, but then the moblin suddenly and quickly swung to the right, landing a hard hit into Zelda's side, sending her flying several feet away, landing on the grass on her back. The blonde grunted, pushing herself onto her knees and hands, lifting her gaze she found the rest of the monsters standing in front of her, growling and grumbling before they lifted their clubs, swinging them all down at almost the same time.

Zelda flinched, lifting her arms up to cover her head instinctively, pulling away as much as she could and closing her eyes tightly.

But nothing hit her, nothing hurt and she heard nothing, realizing this she quickly looked up, seeing all of the moblins standing before her just as they were, but they all appeared to have been cut, slashed through the torso, then all of them disappeared into a large puff of dark smoke. Once the darkness cleared, Zelda could see Impa standing behind where the moblins were, her giant blade in her right hand and her Naginata in her left, both outstretched to her sides.

Impa then quickly sheathed her weapons and ran up to her, "Princess are you alright? I apologize for leaving you alone, I had to see-"

"It's quite alright Impa, this is your hometown so I can understand your need to help. I am just glad you came back when you did. Are there any more monsters left?" Zelda said, accepting Impa hand, pulling herself back up then brushing herself off.

"Not that I know of,"

"Then lets just split up for now until the fires are dealt with before they get out of hand

Impa nodded then left from where she came, disappearing around the corner. Zelda turned around, looking over the fires, wishing she had the Ocarina of Time and knew the Song of Storms, since she had no real knowledge of any water related spells, at least to the extend of being able to cast something effectively.

Soon however she saw fires starting to diminish at the far side of the town, Impa was quick to get to work. Then she realized, there was one spell Impa had taught her when she was older, one that was much similar to the Song of Storms. Thinking for several moments before she begun to quietly chant in ancient Hylian, raising her hands to the sky. Clouds gathered above, growing more dense and soon it begun pouring heavily.

Zelda watched as the towering flames gradually fell, eventually leaving blackened buildings and terrain. Not long after the flames fell did the clouds dissipate, leaving the dark sky with only a few clouds. She then made her way to the well that was located near the center of the village, sitting down on the well ledge, allowing herself to slouch, relaxing her body for a little before Impa came to her.

The light of dawn finally arrived, inching it's way though the town, but tainted a dark orange color through the smoke that remained in the town. The Princess was hardly able to sleep the night before, and when she was finally able to close her eyes enough to get back to sleep, she only had maybe 20 minutes before Impa woke her once more, not as frantically this time. The two now stood on the staircase closest to the entrance of the village, watching as soldiers begun coming in from the path. There wasn't all that many, but it was a start, and Impa had seen a couple of the lieutenants leading the group, one being the lieutenant of the first unit, Arthur, and the other being lieutenant of the third unit, Clark.

Impa walked down, walking to the two, "I am glad you were able to make it."

"General Impa, you were able to make it as well, that is good." Arthur nodded to Impa, and was quick to see Zelda coming up behind her. "Oh your Highness, it greatly relieves me that you are alright, I was concerned that you were caught by the monsters at the castle."

"Impa got to me before anything else, but Arthur, do you know if anyone else is coming?" Zelda said, making her way to the soldiers.

"I had not seen anyone when we were able to leave, but I do believe the others were able to get out alive."

"Alright well, the Inn's manager is generously allowing us to take shelter there, so we can go there to discuss more on what we should do now." Stating that, Zelda turned, going back where she had come, Impa followed behind, but the lieutenants glanced to each other then to the Impa.

"General, are you certain her highness should be present with this meeting?" Arthur asked, walking to catch up, Clark giving orders to the soldiers before doing the same.

The blonde girl stopped, just merely looking over her shoulder to him, "Lieutenant, are you doubting my capabilities of leading my people?"

"Wha-No, no I am not your highness, it just you are still young and have not come to any of the meetings before."

"I understand that you do not know, however, I was able to remember something long forgotten and it gave me the knowledge that I need. So please, do not just assume I am not capable, now come on, we have no time to waste on such trivial things." She continued on her way, soon getting to and entering the Kakariko Inn, the others following after and all meeting in the dinning room.

 **A/N~~Okay, so literally I have nothing written after this chapter except the ending of the story, which obviously I won't upload for a while. I want to write more on it since I didn't want this story to be terribly short. The ending takes place quite some time after this and I wanted to add a few fights and such, but I just can not think of anything to add in to extend it, anyone had any ideas? I thought I might as well ask to see if I can continue with this.**


	8. Realization

The Princess stood, looking over Kakariko, just in several days, the village had been crowded with soilders who came in, fleeing from the castle. Zelda had a hard time believing that everything happened so quickly, even if she had lived through pretty much the exact same thing. She thought they had been more prepared for it this time, she tried to make sure everything was secure in the castle so they could withstand an attack, but nothing changed and this time Link was once again gone and only the goddesses knew when he would return. She was sure nothing could have gone through the security she enforced through her father, however, the Gerudo did indeed get through, but not through anything she put up. Something was off, something had caused this and allowed the Gerudo into the castle, that's what Zelda felt in the past days; She had been informed by multiple different captains and soldiers that aside from Impa, only Christopher, Adam and Alexander were able to get out of the castle on time, they were currently staying within the village. By the information, she learned that all those soliders saw the other councilmembers get killed, except for one, and she hadn't seen him since they had a surprise meeting in CastleTown, before the attack, Jackson. Had he taken part in the fall of the castle? Had he been the reason for it all? To have disappeared just in time to not be involved in the attack, that was a bit suspicious to her. However before she could think over it anymore, a firm hand gripped her shoulder. Quickly she spun around, unsheathing the blade that Impa had forced her to carry on her, swiftly pressing it against that person's throat.

"Whoa, whoa, sheath your blade, I just came to tell you that we can travel to Death Mountain now. The scouts have returned and confirmed that the way is clear and Darunia has agreed to meet with you." The sheikah informed her, pushing the blade away from her throat.

"Oh I'm sorry Impa, I have to be more alert and you suprised me." Zelda apologized, quick to put her blade away once more. " That's good news though, we can head out now, I do need to get to Darunia." She turned back around and stared out to the village, intently watching the soliders before turning and making her way to the gate that stood before the mountain

"You have become quite the warrior, when did you have the time to learn it?"

"I had seven years of time with you Impa, but I was a sheikah male then. My body now is not quite fit for battle yet, and I am unable to use my magic like how I had. As I am, I am useless for this war." She lifted her right hand, staring at the dim triforce on the back of her hand. "My memories have returned to me, with all the knowledge I had gained, but my body in this timeline has not experienced the grueling practice I had to do to achieve how I was."

"You will be able to do it again, do not worry your highness. You already are an instrumental part in the war, you prepared all of the defenses at the castle and even got the guards to do their jobs for once."

"But for what Impa? I was trying to save the castle from the fate it had in the other timeline and it just turned out the same. I may have improved the defenses and enforced more rules to the point where no normal person should have been able to get in, but they had still been able to get in." Zelda then stopped abruptly, "Wait there were some weaknesses, ones I knew of but didn't secure. The secret passages, the ones only royal blood knew of, and you."

"Why's that supposed to help? No one knew of them."

"Yes, but remember, there was one passageway out of the castle that my father allowed for the higher ups to know of in case of an emergency, the one that was in the council meeting room, the members of my fathers court knew of that exit. So, one of them could have allowed the Gerudo and monsters into the castle through that, it does go to the back of the castle, so no one in the front would have seen them and since I positioned guards at the top of the wall without placing them around the castle itself, at least not in the back, they could have gotten in undetected and quite easily into the castle since that passage led directly in and out of the castle." Zelda explained, covering her face with her hands, "God I am such a fool. I should have thought of the passage that the members knew of." She paced around for a couple seconds, "So much for my wisdom." Mumbling, she turned back to Impa, tears beginning to threaten to fall from her blue eyes, "I could have prevented that night Impa, I could have prevented my father's death and the deaths of so many others." She sobbed, pulling herself to Impa and pushing her face into her chest as the sheikah crouched to embrace her princess. "We could have avoided this all if I had been smarter about it. We could have had a better start at this-"

"Shh, Zelda. You couldn't have possibly known that someone from the inside had turned against us. It is not your fault that we were betrayed, you did the most that you could and did it well, you did much more than anyone expected, you even impressed the King. There simply was nothing more to be done to avoid this." Impa said, trying to soothe the sobbing princess.

Soon the blonde picked herself up, rubbing her face dry. "Thank you Impa, I suppose now I must get stronger and do whatever I can to end this war. First being talking to Darunia, come on Impa, we have little time to waste." She said, reaching her hand to pull up Impa before the two turned and started up the path again.

After a short while, the two finally got to the entrance to Goron city, warmth from the volcano radiating from within. Just as they entered, they were met by the goron chief himself and a couple other gorons, already clad in armor, with their arms crossed.

"You have arrived safely, that is good." He turned, beckoning for them to follow. "We shall go to my room to talk more." So they did, the goron chief taking the lead. Once they got in he closed the door and looked back to them. "So why has the princess herself wished to meet with me?"

"I do not know if you are aware or not Darunia, but Hyrule is currently at war." Zelda begun.

"Are you wishing for the Goron tribe to aid you in this war with the Gerudo?" Darunia asked, his tone more serious.

"How had you known it was with the gerudo? I haven't been able to send messengers."

"Link came by and informed me on Ganon's actions before he had left for his search."

"Oh, he did? Well would you be willing to help us? We will surely need the help, especially with the bad start to this war."

Darunia remain silent for awhile, leading Zelda to question if he was going to.

"So does that mean you refuse Darunia?" Impa asked this time, about to turn around and leave until Darunia just begun to laugh.

"I kid, I kid!" Darunia laughed, " I will help, if I didn't Brother Link would be quite angry with me. I had promised him that I would help Hyrule, even though I would have helped even without him asking, I have already told my tribe of this alliance." He told them. "Now, how may I be of service to you, your highness?"

"We are going to be traveling to Zora's domain after this, do you know of any quick path there?"

Darunia thought for a couple long moments. "Ah, yes actually there is, it has not been used in quite some time, probably since the war. Here, I'll show you real quick." The Goron turned around, walking to the right corner of the room, where another statue stood, not quite as big as the one by the back wall, the one that led to the the Death Mountain Crater. Once Darunia had moved the smaller statue aside, webs stretched from the statue to the walls, in the stone wall was a carved passage, the entrance not the size of a normal doorway, rather it was smaller, being able to be fully hidden behind the statue. The entrance led into a darkened passageway, covered in cobwebs which stretched across the path.

Zelda stepped forward, pressing her hand to the wall and looking closer in. "Where will this lead to Darunia?"

"This will take you directly into the main section of the Zora's domain, coming out from behind the waterfall." The Goron explained, resting his arm on the statue.

"Thank you Darunia, this will be quite useful. We will be back to head to the Domain.

"Anything for you, your highness, you're allowed here whenever. Be safe going back down the mountain." The Goron dipped his head slightly, moving the statue back in place once the two moved away. Saying their goodbyes to the Gorons, Impa and Zelda left the city.

As they got back down to the village, they were greeted by Arthur at the gate.

"Your highness, the patrols have reported sightings of Ganondorf's monsters scouting Hyrule field."

"Had they gotten close to the village?"

"They were heading towards Lon Lon Ranch and some others were on the other side of the river, they hadn't crossed over."

"As long as they hadn't crossed the river. Remain on high alert and watch Ganondorf's movements. I will be heading to Zora's Domain with Impa within the next couple days to talk to Ruto and the Zora King. Also Darunia has agreed on helping us, his gorons will be here soon to add more protection." Zelda turned to Impa, " Impa, you should go and begin training the knights, prepare them for war, I am going to retire to the room to think over things." Impa nodded, turning and walking away, Arthur going with her.

Zelda watched as they left, Impa calling all of the knights before they moved off to the other side of the village, to a area they had begun to clear out. The princess stood watching over Kakariko once more, for quite awhile before she returned to the Inn, going to her room. There standing in front of her window was someone she didn't quite expect to be within her room.

"What shall you do now, your highness?"

"Rauru, this is my room you know." Zelda stated, sitting down at the table at the far side of the room. "And I don't know fully, all I can do right now is hope Ruto and her father decide to help us when we go there."

"What if they do not?"

She pondered it for several moments, "Then I suppose we do not have the Zora tribe on our side, however I do not think they would refuse."

Rauru remained silent, simply observing the princess for a while longer before his figure begun to dissolve, "I will leave you alone now then, be careful on your journey to the Zora's Domain..."

The princess turned to where he disappeared, then stood up and walked over to the window, looking over to where Impa was training the soldiers. Letting out a sigh, she turned and sat down on her bed, but not for long, as she had a thought and hurried out of her room and out of the Inn. She made her way to Impa's old home, Impa wouldn't mind would she? She hadn't been in her house for a long time and even with them being within Kakariko she hasn't returned to it. It's rather being used as a private gathering place cause of it is somewhat isolated from the rest of the village. Entering into the medium sized house, she quickly found her way to Impa's study.

 ** _"Impa? Why does my father keep sending suitors to me? He keeps saying if I don't choose he would, but I am not even of the proper age yet." The young blonde mumbled, running her fingers over the pages of the painfully boring book laying in front of her._**

 ** _Impa's gaze remained on the bookshelf, pulling out books and piling them along the tables, in order to organize them later. "He is doing it for the good of the Kingdom. He has stated he will not wed again, and we have lost the one you were originally betrothed to. So he is trying to ensure the future of the royal family earlier on."_**

 ** _"I was already betrothed to someone? When was this?" Zelda inquired, anger rising in her voice._**

 ** _"You would not be able to remember, you were very young, maybe almost a year old? It wouldn't matter now, he is dead."_**

 ** _"W-What happened to him?"_**

 ** _"He was unfortunately killed in the war years ago. No one knew fully how he died, since his body was not retrieved, his father died in that battle and we assumed his mother died that day as well." Impa informed her, shifting her attention to the books on the table and begun organizing them once again._**

 ** _"What was his name? Do you remember it?" Zelda asked._**

 ** _The royal attendant nodded slowly, "Oh yes, quite well, he was named after a Hero of legend, Link..."_**

Zelda body stiffened as she came back to reality, "Link...?"

 ** _A/N: So I've fully realized I am terrible at writing, and I do not know if I really want to write much more now, but I also want to write. Gah. Anyways, this part wasn't as proofread as the others so it may not be as well put together. And the ending was actually supposed to go completely different, but then I realized I never added in that fact with Link when I thought I did, so I did it now. Well hope you enjoyed._**


	9. Chapter 9

**_A/N: Sorry for the wait, stuff happened and I lost my motivation to write, but i felt bad for not uploading anything. This part wasn't proofread, I am going to get to that later, so here it is. Enjoy!_**

The blonde hurried across the village, soon getting to the training area. She shoved her way through the first few training knights before the rest noticed her and made way for her, doing their usual head dips. Impa was about to scold the knights for stopping, but was soon to find her princess standing before her. "Your Highness, what are you doing here?"

"Impa, is it true that I was actually engaged to Link this whole time?"

The sheikah took a moment before she reacted, quickly ordering the soldiers to continue with their routines before she beckoned Zelda to follow, making their way back to her house. Impa led Zelda into her room. The princess stopped at the door while Impa walked to the far side of the room, digging through the large wardrobe drawers. Soon she pulled out a yellow envelope, sealed with the royal family's crest, handing it to the princess. "This is the note from your father, he wrote it shortly before the attack. He ordered me to give it to you when the time was right, I suppose that time is now. I am going to return to the training, read that and it'll answer your questions." Impa told her, excusing herself from Zelda's presence and making her way to the training area once again.

Opening up the envelope, there was two papers, one a note from her father, the other being a document.

 _ **Dearest Zelda, I know I can not make up for the years I neglected to treat you as a daughter, for that I am sincerely sorry. I will probably not be with you to try to have you forgive me, Link made me aware that I had been killed in the time he spoke of, that will most likely be my fate once more in this time. However, that is not what this is about, attached is the betrothal contract for you and Link, the one I renewed after I figured who he was. Keep it with you until he returns to Hyrule, whenever that may be.**_

 _ **I did not inform Link of this contract since he told me he would be leaving quite soon after our conversation. I did not wish to tell you immediatly after, since I know you are already quite fond of him as is. So, I am giving this envelope to Impa, for safekeeping, until the right time comes to let you know. Though, this contract will be rendered null and void only if Link is killed or fails to return by the time you turn 18, my court have been told of these arrangements, I have ordered them not to try to push someone else upon you until then, so do not worry about that.**_

 _ **I do hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me Zelda, for I have been a terrible father and I apologize once more. I wish you well and for you to be strong for whatever may come; I am sure you will be a great leader for Hyrule.**_

 _ **Sincerely, Your father**_

Tears began to well up in her eyes, it's not that she had hated her father, she had just always wanted to be treated as someone other than the heir to the throne. She wanted to feel like she was actually part of their small family. To make things worse, right when it was beginning to be put back together, it was all torn apart before her and the one who she learned she was supposed to marry is who knows where and she had no clue of when he would return, if he were to return at all.

A couple minutes passed before she shook her head then turned to the document, scanning it over. It was indeed her father's declaration of her engagement to Link, signed and stamped with her father's seal. Pushing back her tears, she gently returned the two papers into their envelope, then left Impa's house, making her way to the inn. She hadn't the time for these feelings of mourning, she had a kingdom to save and an army to lead. When she got back into her room, she placed the envelope into one of her pouches, staring at the yellow paper for a long moment before she forced away any other feelings that she had as she turned and begun changing into her shiekah cloths she received from Impa. She then placed the envelope into a small pouch tied to her waist, keeping it on her from now on.

Zelda got all of her equipment together before she heading back to the training grounds. When she got there no one payed much attention to her as she passed by, Impa gazed over to her only for a moment before switching back to the knights, scolding a couple who continually messed up their routines. She made her way to a longer alcove at the far end of the training area, one Impa had cleared out further for Zelda when she wished to train.

There were multiple targets set up throughout her little area and dummies stood scattered about. Zelda placed her things down, beginning multiple stretches before she was to start training, she then went to do sets of pushups, situps, pullups with a nearby tree, lifts with weights she got from Impa's, and made her rounds around the alcove. After she fully finished she picked up her bow, nocking arrows and firing at three of the targets, two of the three arrows actually hitting where they were supposed to. She sighed, at least her archery is nearly as good as it was. But she didn't have the strength she had before during her time as Sheik, so she had issues pulling back the arrows.

After shooting a several more arrows, she put the bow away, pulling out the arrows and putting them back with the bow. Then she pulled out her throwing daggers, beginning to throw them repeatedly at the dummies, aiming to striking in the chest, but most actually ended up bouncing off the helmets, just scathing the dummies, or completely missing all together. She gathered her daggers and threw them once more, getting only a couple more hitting in the targeted area compared to the last throw. She repeated throwing the daggers until at least a decent portion of her throws were in the right spot. She then grabbed up her practice sword, following as close as she could to the routines Impa put the royal knights through back at the castle, though they mainly sparred each other. It was quite similar to what Impa was teaching the guards now, just with much more techniques into the lessons before they would spar.

A half hour had probably passed before Zelda decided she had done enough for now and sat down, leaning back against a tree, lifting her gaze to the branches above, sunlight peeking through the thick lush leaves. A gentle breeze blew through the alcove, leaves bustling softly and birds tweeted distantly, Zelda smiled, she was actually enjoying this small moment of peace she had.

The sound of chains rattling echoed through the long hall of cells, candles were lit, hanging on the walls by every cell. Some of the bars of the cells were rusted and beginning to rot away. It appeared the this aerie prison was carved down into the ground, roughly carved sandstone made up the walls and there lacked any kind of windows. There were only a few cells that held people in it, mainly being hylian men of varying ages. One cell held a younger looking hylian, a man. He had blonde unkempt, greasy hair, shackles on his wrists and ankles bounding him to the ground, unlike most of the other prisoners. His head hung, gaze kept to the ground as a gerudo warrior stood in front of his cell, seemingly talking with him, though not arousing the man at all. Then suddenly as a reaction to what she said, the hylian's head shot up, one deep blue eye glaring.

"Are you alright, your highness?"

Zelda shifted, turning quickly to see Impa coming into her little training area, her Naginata in hand, she took a deep breath, shaking herself before nodding to her nursemaid, "Yeah I am, now let's start." As she said that, Impa changed into a fighting position while Zelda casted Nayru's Love, surrounding herself in the barrier. "Alright Impa." She said, getting into a more balanced stance, concentrating on her barrier.

In that moment Impa rushed towards the princess, swinging Naginata at her barrier, which only took a few hard repetitive hits to shatter the crystal barrier Zelda tried to hold. The princess was quick to put the barrier back up, only to have it shattered in a couple hits once more. This got repeated for probably a good 20 minutes with all the same result before Zelda collapsed down onto her knees.

"This was one of the spells I was best at doing. My can't even properly cast the other spells as I did before, and they aren't that complex of spells , I just don't understand, it seems like my magic has been muffled." She mused, leaning back and looked up to the growing darkening sky above.

The former royal attendant gazed upon her princess, then walked up in front of her, reaching out her hand to her, one she gratefully took. "You will have time to figure everything out, but for now, I think that is enough. Let's head back into the village and get us a meal."

"I suppose... Alright Impa, lets go."

Once they had made their way to the center of the village, they caught sight of a group of people gathered around the main gates. Someone must have made it to the village. Getting there, they soon saw who it was and Zelda couldn't help but glower suspiciously at who it was, and it didn't take him long to notice her either, her expression vanishing as if it had never been there in an instant.

"Oh your highness, I'm glad that you are alright-"

"You're still alive?" Zelda asked, accidentally saying it a tad bit ruder than she had meant, though she supposed she didn't care anyways since it was James.

"Well uh- I-Yes I am." The brown haired boy stammered out his response, taken back by the princess' tone.

"What of your father? I assume you two were together?" She asked, fixing her attitude hastily after hearing his response.

"He-We were separated early in the night, I haven't seen him since. I was just barely able to get out myself, I.. Assume he was killed. However, I heard about your father; I'm really sorry your highness."

The princess stared at him, it sounded like he actually fully meant his apology, his voice very slightly hinting with what she felt like was a sense of guilt in with his words. She soon grew even more suspicious of him, but she would have to wait to see, she would watch him as they went through the war.

"I am glad that you were able to get out, I apologize to hear about your father though James. The attack was a surprise to everyone, but we are making do now here in Kakariko, I hope you will adapt to the change. Also, any information you might have about the attack will be quite useful, if you would report it to the captains. I'll have someone set you up with what you need, shelter, food and such." Zelda told him, gesturing for a nearby knight, telling him to tour the boy around.

"Thank you your highness." He dipped his head, following the mentioned knight, leaving the princess after one last glance. Soon in which the group of gathered people dispersed, returning to what they were previously doing.

Zelda watched him leave, not letting him leave her gaze until he disappeared behind a wall with his guide. She then walked to the ration area with Impa, resuming what they were going to do before.

When they actually got their food and sat down Impa looked over to the princess, "Do you believe him?" She questioned, beginning to eat at her food.

Sighing, the blonde fiddled with the very questionable food that was before her, never quite getting used to the food they had to eat more often than not now. "I don't know what to think of him, just where has he been until now? It's been nearly a month now, and I know everyone in the court was told to regroup here. All of those who survived wasted no time getting here, yet he just now shows up with no wounds or anything. It just seems suspicious."

"What are you going to do about it?"

"For now, nothing but watch. I have more important things to attend to than to take care of a child."

"You are a child too." The attendant chuckled.

"Physically, sure. But I was 18 before."

"Yeah, but no one really knows that, at least most don't believe it. The only one to remember and could help return these memories has left Hyrule."

"I know, I know, but either way, Impa, I have a war to fight and I don't have time for James, I'll have to deal with him later." Zelda told her, finally beginning to eat her ration of food. Impa was right though, she should go look into it, but she just couldn't. If Link were there she would send him to investigate for her, but he wasn't. She was left alone to protect and lead a kingdom that was dumped on her during a war.


	10. Zora's Domain

Zelda stood before the large waterfall, a small group of Gorons standing around here, Impa staying close to her side with Darunia on the other side. She shut her eyes gently, remaining silent for a long moment, then when she opened them once more, the waterfall begun to slowly split down the middle, revealing the path to the domain behind were quick to make their way into the beautiful home of the Zora tribe, however, as they made their way into the large domain, they were surrounded by Zora guards, spears pointed. Zelda was pretty much shoved into the small circle of gorons, Impa and Darunia standing in front.

"We are only here because Princess Zelda wishes to speak to the Zora Princess, Ruto." Said Impa firmly, revealing their reasons for appearing through the waterfall.

At the mention of Zelda, the zora guards lowered their spears slightly, "We heard that Princess Zelda was killed..." A guard murmured, he stood infront of the others, with considerably more armor than the other guards.

Finally the blonde was able to squeeze out through the tight group of Gorons, taking a long breath when she got out. Brushing herself off, she sighed, "I apologize for the sudden appearance, you probably weren't expecting anyone to come through that way... As you can see though, I am quite alive and well, my father was the one that was killed." She told them, getting confused glances between the zora. "Anyways, I need to talk to Ruto, and the King after, is that acceptable?"

The guards exchanged few words as they looked to one another, the one in front shrugged as they fully lowered their weapons and moved aside. "Princess Ruto is in her chambers," He spoke up before turning to another, "Take Princess Zelda to-"

"Oh that's not nessesary, I know where her room is, I have been here before. Just would you tell the King that I wish to speak to him in a short while? It is quite important."

They looked at her in confusion, armored one slowly nodding before walking off.

Zelda returned her gaze to Darunia and Impa, "Go with him to King Zora, tell him that I will be there in a short while to speak to him, it is quite important." The two nodded then quickly jogged off to catch up to the guard. She then turned to the other gorons, "You all stay here and stay on guard, it shouldn't be long before we start heading back." She told them before she turned and walked alongside the right side of the domain, following the path that went to the throne room. Soon this path forked, to the right led to where the King was, while the right led down a long hall of rooms, this was where, as Zelda remebered, all of the higher members of the tribe had their rooms, excluding the King. A little farther down the hall came a room with larger decorated door, opening it, she found the zora princess siting on her bed, seemingly doing nothing.

"Who thinks they can just waltz into my chambers without asking beforehand?!" The zora snapped, swinging around finding the hylian princess standing at the door. "I thought you died." She said plainly.

"Just as stuckup as usual Ruto." Zelda muttered, "Anyways how could you be so cold to me? We were friends before." She feigned saddness, making it more dramatic than she should have.

"I am not stuckup. You took my Fiance." The girl informed her.

"I did not take him, or anything of that sort."

"Is that so? Then why are you beginning to blush?" The zora smirked

Zelda jumped, quickly covering her cheeks with her hands then turning away.

Crossing her arms, Ruto just huffed, "So what is so important that you came marching into my room like it was yours?"

"Oh right." The blonde turned, returning her attention to the zora princess, "I need your help."

"Why should I help you? The Zora are not meant for war anyway."

"You're only other choices are either working for Ganondorf against Hyrule or being killed off by him since I highly doubt he's just going to leave you alone." Zelda reminded her.

Ruto thought over it, then suddenly a golden light begun flashing from the back of the princess' hand, interrupting the zora's thought.

Zelda looked down at it, confused, why in the world was it shining? It only shone when another one of the pieces was near it, Link shouldn't have come back already, she would have known if he had entered Hyrule. Her magic had grown stronger and she would have felt his presence with the connection they had formed, especially since Zora's domain was closer to Kokiri forest... Then it hit her as the faint light began to grow brighter; Ganondorf could possibly still have a piece of the triforce. Link and her remained in procession of their pieces when she reverted time, so it was in all possibility that Ganondorf would still have his, just he would not fully remember coming into procession of it.

Turning her attention back to the Zora princess,grabbing hold of her shoulders "Ruto, you must flee, you will be in danger if you stay, you must go now!" She warned.

Ruto just flicked the Hylians hands of her shoulders, "What in the world do you think-"

BANG

The two both turned quickly to the doorway, Impa stood there, one hand on the hilt of her Giant Blade, still sheathed, Zora guards behind her. "We must leave your highness' Ganondorf's forces are about to break into Zora's domain." Impa said urgently, running over and grabbing Zelda's hand, pulling her and Ruto along.

Impa and the Zora guards kept the princess' out view, pushing them through the hallways. Then, once they had come closer to the throne room, Ganondorf's voice resonated over the yelling coming from the doorway.

"My father!" Ruto begun to run down the hall, Impa just barely being able to grab and stop her. "Shush, we can not do anything right now. We must remain undetected or our lives will be at risk."

"But my father is in there!"

"We can not help him now, and even if something happened to him, would he want you to throw away yourself into danger trying to save him?" Zelda whispered, walking up to Impa with the squirming zora.

Ruto stopped, lowering her gaze to her webbed feet

The group inched farther down the hall, closer to the chamber, Zelda and Ruto peeking in from the door. Ganondorf stood before the King, swords in hand; there were multiple Zoras held down by both Gerudo and monsters, most trying their hardest to break free while others just seemingly accepted their current situation.

"I can not aid you Ganondorf, I would not help such a vile being as you. You have already caused the Zora tribe problems, you can not be trusted, and that is my final word."

Ganondorf turned his back to the King, examining his blades, "Such a pity, I was hoping to get at least one tribe on my side. It matters not, your alliance with me would have benefited you more than anything." Ganondorf murmured, swiftly turning and throwing his sword towards the King, piercing through the air and the blade digging it's way into the King's chest.

Screams and sobs echoed throughout the room and down the halls as the Zora King gasped for air, his large eyes rolling before his body slumped over, falling off of his seat, making a large splash into the water below.

"Well I do hope you had nothing more to say." The Gerudo King smirked, his sword returning to his hand, he promptly washed the blood off in the water before turning to the Zoras around him.

Zelda watched on with disdain, her blood seemed to boil at the man's actions, not only did he kill her father but now he has killed Ruto's. "Take the princess and leave." Zelda told the guards as she pushed the seemingly frozen zora into their tight hold. Then blonde princess turned to look back to the male Gerudo who was shouting to the Zora people.

"This is what happens to those who do not cooperate, remember this well Zora!" He bellowed, his voice echoing, turning around to look at the Zora. "You all foll-" He suddenly lurched forward, flames burning the cape he wore. He straightened himself back out, casually unclipping the cape from around his neck, chucking it into the water flowing around him. Turning to the source of the flame ball, he was surprised to see the princess of Hyrule standing before him, her triforce glowing brightly as a orb of fire burned fiercely above her palm, her eyes burning with a similar fire as she glared to the Gerudo. Before he was able to say anything, Impa was taking out the monsters holding down the Zoras, and just as he went to take out Impa, Zelda charged forward, shooting another fire orb at him before unsheathing her blade, thrusting it towards Ganondorf's chest.

The Gerudo King moved swiftly out of the way, only getting the blade to graze his armor. But he instantly got the blade swung at him again, this time blocking with his own sword, "I suppose I should have expected you to be alive." He whispered plainly before raising his other hand, another blade appearing in it then thrusted it towards Zelda.

The princess pushed off, jumping back a couple feet to avoid the incoming blade, barely having time before Ganondorf lunged forward, his sword meeting her left shoulder, driving her against a wall. His blade dug into her flesh until he stopped to roughly tear her sword from her hand, throwing it away.

"Where has your hero gone, Princess? He was not there when we ambushed the castle," He sneered.

"How should I know?" She snapped at the gerudo, then suddenly gasped in pain as he forced that blade father into her shoulder.

"You've got quite the attitude for someone in your position. Tell me where he is, or this will get ugly rather quickly." He threatened.

"...Even if I somehow knew where he was, what makes you think I would tell you?" The princess muttered lowly, "What does it matter to you anyways? He's not here to stop you," Lifting her legs, pushing against his chest, only getting a chuckle from the Gerudo King as he leaned in uncomfortably close to her face, a smirk plastered across his face.

"Let me tell you a little something about this war, your highness...This war was not of my own plans, I was only hired to-"

A sudden torrent of water forced the Gerudo King to the floor, forcing him to let go of Zelda. The water swiftly taking her aside, placing her down on dry ground.

"So much for being the leader of the Sages, you've weakened considerably compared to before." She heard Ruto say in a mocking tone.

Zelda huffed, "You're one to talk, that's one measly stream for y-Wait, what did you just say?" She turned, looking to the zora standing beside her, her hands outstretched towards Ganondorf.

"You're weak for being the leader of the Sages. Far weaker than you were when we fought together before."

"How did you remember?"

"How should I know?" Ruto grunted as Ganondorf gradually got onto his knees, then with a sudden burst of flames, evaporated the down pour of water, laughing as he summoned his sword to his hand again. In that instant, Ruto immediately swung her hands out, a large wave circled around the room, forcing Ganondorf back to the wall and killing off the monsters that held down the Zoras. "Evacuate the Domain! make sure everyone is far away from here!" She shouted to the guards that stood at the entrance, as the wave washed the Zoras within the room to the entrance, the guards then quickly ran off, the others following close behind. Once they all left, Ruto dropped the wave, leaving the three alone in the room.

"You think you can still fight? Or will I have to do everything myself?" Ruto questioned, a teasing kind of tone in her voice.

"As if I would let you do that," Zelda muttered, tearing a long strand of her shirt and tied it tightly on the wound on her shoulder. Taking her blade in hand, she glared at the Gerudo who slowly got himself back up and returned the glare.

"You'll both be dead by the time I leave here!" He bellowed, dashing swiftly forward, sword outstretched in front of him, set to kill.

 _ **A/N; So I don't know what I am doing after the next chapter, I can't think of anything right now, any ideas?Also this wasn't as proofread as my other chapters, sorry, I just wanted to upload something at least.**_


	11. Unexpected Hero

**_A/N; All I have to say is sorry. But this is I think the fastest I have written a chapter, I mean it's not as long but still. Anyways, hope you enjoy :)_**

The two princesses both swiftly jumped away from the Gerudo's advance, easily dodging the swings of his blades. As he went to charge towards Zelda, he was roughly sent to the ceiling by a strong burst of water. A loud thud sounded throughout the room as he hit the floor, but then was quickly sent to the wall with another burst. Zelda stared, Ruto was not holding anything back, she was actually surprised by the power the Zora possessed in her current form

"So do you have a plan?"

Zelda mused for a long moment, "I don't quite know. We just need to keep him occupied for now."

"Oh, now I have heard it all, the bearer of wisdom does not have an actual plan for once."

"This is really not the time to be teasing me Ruto!" Zelda countered, turning her attention to Ruto for a split second. Barely having time to react to the blade that shot out in front of her, grazing her chest as a result.

"Are you two seriously having a chat in the middle of a fight?!" Ganondorf growled, "I should just kill you now!" He quickly charged the Zora princess, taking her by surprise, ramming her into one of the walls, then kicking her harshly in the side, sending her to her lifeless father's body.

"Ruto!" Zelda yelled, running to her friend.

Ganondorf then swirled around to charge towards Zelda once again, this time though, she jumped towards him, nimbly shifting to the left of him before jumping up onto his back, her dagger lightly touching his throat.

"What did you mean you were hired before Ganondorf?" Zelda asked in a much more demanding tone.

He just chuckled, "You haven't figured it out yet?" He laughed, "Hah, however, as much as I want to tell you, just to see your reaction, I wasn't paid to spoil their plans..Oh, but you might be able to persuade me with..Other things." He whispered slyly.

Suddenly, she felt a burst of fury course through her veins, tightening her hold, pressing the blade against his throat. Pain quickly shooting through her body as she was yanked off by her hair, slammed into the ground, and a boot swiftly forced down onto her chest.

"You are a despicable man!"

"That's what I have heard. Unfortunately, I can not do what I wish with you. Though, I can surely hurt you quite badly!" He raised his fist, clenching it tightly, before bringing it down swiftly.

A load crack sounded, a wave of air brushing across Zelda's face. Slowly opening her eyes, the Princess saw Ganondorf's fist pounded into the ground beside her, looking up she found him staring away from her, a smirk appearing on his face.

"So you've finally decided to show up, huh, Hero?"

Hearing that, the princess slowly followed the Gerudo's gaze, finding the green clad boy standing in front of the entrance, Master Sword held tightly in his hand, shield in the other, with deep blue eyes glaring. Finally the weight was taken off of her as Ganondorf moved towards the boy, his swords coming to his hands as he walked, stopping in front of the Hero of Time.

Taking this chance, the princess hurriedly jumped to her feet, running over to the zora princess as she lay against her father. "Come on Ruto, this is our only chance to get away." She lifted up the zora, wrapping her arms around her to help her stand.

"What about Link? We can't leave him." Ruto murmured, glancing to the the blonde boy as he dodged Ganondorf's attacks.

"It'll be fine, now come on, we don't have time to worry about him." Zelda insisted, starting to drag the girl along. "Do you know where your people went to evacuate?" She asked as they slipped out of the room, quickly heading through the domain.

"Y-yes of course I do, if an evacuation order was given, we are all supposed to take shelter in the water temple. But, we can't just run off by ourselves and leave Link to fight Ganondorf alone."

"Stop worrying about him, it won't matter anyways-"

"What? It won't matter? Don't you like him? How can you say that?" Ruto interrupted, anger rising in her voice.

"Will you just stop it with Link already?!" Zelda retorted sharply, catching the zora by surprise, forcing her to shut her trap as she dragged her along. As they left the domain through the waterfall once again, they found Impa standing outside, seemingly about to make her way back in.

"Princess, I am relieved that you and Ruto are alright, but what of Ganondorf?"

"Taken care of for now. Are the Zora alright?" Zelda wondered, handing Ruto to the much stronger shiekah before they began to walk down the long paths.

"Yes, all of the Zora were evacuated and the injured were cared for at the Water temple."

"Good, then let us go and reunite Ruto with her people before we leave for Kakariko again."

The blonde boy jumped around nimbly, swiftly dodging all of the Gerudo man's attacks, farther worsening the man's anger.

"Will you stop running around like a cucco and fight me like a man?!" He bellowed angrily, shooting balls of lightning in every which way, trying to hit him. After probably close to 15 minutes of useless firing, Ganondorf finally got him pinned, swinging out blindly and successfully landing a hard hit across his body, the deep laceration cutting from his left shoulder down to just above his right hip. Ganondorf then stood triumphantly laughing as the body fell lifeless to the floor.

"I killed him! I have killed the supposed Hero of Time! Now I am closer to rolling over-" He abruptly stopped, frozen where he stood. Slowly looking down, his body was quickly enveloped in lightning, his expression overtaken with unmeasurable anger, his eyes burning with a white glow.

"ZELDA!" He roared, slamming his swords into the body, making it disappear into a white puff of smoke.

The princess shook, feeling that her spell was broken, it lasted longer than she originally thought, but more than enough time to get away. She glanced back, barely hearing the bellow from where she was, before quickly turning and quickening her pace.

 _ **A/N; So what did you guys think about that? I wasn't originally going to do it that way but it happened because, well comments. :)**_


	12. Unwanted Sacrifice

_**A/N: I am terribly sorry for how long it took me to update, all of my motivation to write moved onto drawing so I haven't really been writing at all lately. Also, I really couldn't think of how to write this so that didn't help either. Anyway, hope you enjoy, feel free to comment if you want.**_

The sages stood before the ruined castle town, after weeks of preparation, they were finally able to come back. Zelda stood in front, the darkness of night hiding the small army, consisting of probably a hundred or so men, gaze set upon the her home, saddened to see that the castle was returned to the appearance it took on when Ganondorf ruled. Their main goal was to drive the Gerudo and monsters out of Castletown. By Impa's signal, they split into two groups, Impa taking a portion of the soldiers and leaving to the left side, going to where she knew there was a hidden passage in. Ruto remained with Zelda and Darunia, staying where they stood while Zelda looked about.

She found it suspicious, from what she could see, there were no guards positioned along the top of the wall, no one was posted outside when they had arrived. Soon a familiar hoot of an owl caught her attention, lifting her gaze, she found the large brown owl flapping down to her. "So?" She asked as he landed on Darunia's outstretched arm, ruffling his feathers back in place.

"I flew around the entire area, there appeared to be no Gerudo, nor monsters within the town, there seems to be no activity in the town." He relayed, tilting his head to the right.

She thought for a long moment before turning back to the owl. "Alright, thank you Rauru. Now if you would please, just keep watch for any reinforcements from the desert." She turned, waving her hand, causing the soldiers to all prepare to head in.

"Be careful." He hooted as he jumped off of Darunia's arm, flapping his large wings loudly before taking to the sky, swiftly getting far above them, giving one last hoot as he flew off to the west.

"Are you certain about this Zelda?" Ruto questioned, crossing her arms.

"I have to at least take the chance, however, I am going to have you two remain together-"

"We cannot allow you to do that." Darunia spoke in.

"You can't stop me, I am not going to allow Impa to go in by herself," She countered sharply, turning away, "I'll take a handful of soldiers, including Fredrick and Noah, Henry will remain with your group." she led the group along the right wall until they were almost beyond CastleTown. She stopped at a spot where foliage had overtaken the majority of the wall, there she felt through the leaves until her hand slipped through.

Fredrick and Noah went through first, followed Zelda and the rest of the soldiers, disappearing into the leaves and into the darkness, leaving the two other sages. They walked on through the darkness, once Fredrick grunted, having walked right into a spider web, and bumping back into Noah. There were multiple sounds of mice scurrying off, which before would have terrified Zelda, being that she was terrified of the small creatures before Link had come along. Several minutes had passed before Fredrick came upon a wall, in which a hard push threw it open, revealing the back wall of the Temple of Time.

Silently, they crept along the the side of the Temple, there was little noise coming from the market and the whole area was left in the darkness of night, only several torches positioned on top of the surrounding walls and a couple scattered about randomly on the buildings. They soon made it to the Central square, scanning the area, they found no monster, nor Gerudo, it was all empty. Breaking the silence was a far off scream, seemingly coming from the far side of town, where Impa and her group were supposed to be coming in from.

Zelda stiffened, recognizing this eerie scream that came only from those that had already passed from the world of the living. She sprinted across the barren square, avoiding the captain's attempts of grabbing a hold of her, only making it a little over halfway before a piercing scream sounded from behind her. Swinging around, she found the skeletal corpse stalking to the now stunned soldiers. Hesitating, she turned her gaze back in the direction of where Impa was, then back to the soldiers as the Redead closed in on them. Biting her lip, she took one last glance back before dashing forward; Impa could surely take care of herself against these monsters for a little while.

She dashed towards the undead monster, coming within a couple feet of it before swiftly dropping to the ground as it sung it's arms out in an attempt to grab her, she then quickly kicked sideways, taking its legs out from beneath it. She quickly unsheathed her blade and sunk it into the monster's throat before it was able to recover, watching as it disappeared into a puff of black smoke. She scanned the area for anymore of the cursed monsters, protecting the captains and the soldiers as they recovered from the scream. Fredrick stumbled forwards, rubbing his ears as he regained his hearing. "Your Highness, what exactly was that?" He questioned, taking a quick glance to the others as they recovered as well.

"A Redead, they are undead monsters that catch their prey by stunning them with that scream before then sucking the life from whatever they catch." She told him as she picked up his sword and handed it to him. "Now come on," She swung around, jogging across the town square, looking back to see the rest following. As she turned down an alley, she was met with a group of stalchildren, their bones knocking on each other. Fredrick and Noah quickly got in front of Zelda, readying their swords, pointed to the smaller monsters. Letting out a huff, Zelda pushed her way between the two captains, "I spent seven years of fighting, I'm not going to let you always protect me." She muttered, charging forwards as the first Stalchild ran towards them.

A good amount of time passed before Zelda's group finally fought through the Stalchildren, coming out of the alley, she led the group through the destroyed buildings, following the sounds of screams and fighting, growing louder and louder as they got closer. They soon turned around a corner to see Impa's group, or at least what was left of it, fighting off Redeads and Stalfos. The blonde ran in, taking out a couple surrounding Stalchildren on the way, followed closely by her group. She ran towards Impa, who was fighting off a pair of Stalfos with Shane leaning against an unstable wall behind her, grasping his bleeding neck. Coming up from behind one of the Stalfos, she jumped up onto it's back, swiftly sinking her blade into it's forehead, falling to the ground as it's bones fell apart then turned into black smoke.

"What are you doing here Your Highness?" Impa grunted, blocking the Stalfo's attack with her Naginata.

"Coming to help you," Zelda answered, waiting for the Stalfos to raise it's sword before jumping to swing at it's midsection, successfully breaking it's spine and it tumbled to the ground. She then smashed it's skull with her boot, making sure to kill it before it pulled itself back together.

"I suppose you have more experience with these monsters than any of us." The sheikah stated, turning around to move Shane further away into a safer area.

"How many have you lost so far?" Zelda asked, glancing to Impa who now begun to use sheikah magic to at least try to stop the bleeding on Shane's wound.

"7, maybe 8. I can't be for sure, a couple men got drug away into the darkness of the night and with every scream at least one man is getting caught, I was just barely able to save Shane, and I was only able to save a few other men from the Redeads."

Zelda clenched her fists around the hilt of her blade, "This makes no sense, there was no way they could have known we were coming. There is no one here and yet all of our scouts informed us that they were." She growled, going over it multiple times through her head, trying to find what happened. "I am going to help the others." She called back to Impa, running towards the ongoing fight and knocking down several Stalchildren on the way to another Stalfos who was whacking at a soldier. Sliding in front of the knight, she blocked the incoming swing with her blade then quickly parried, hitting it in the chest and landing a couple more hits before it swung it's sword at her, grazing her chest as she jumped away a little too late. On the second swing, she ducked down, striking below it's knee, taking out it's lower leg, then as it lost it's balance and fell over, she turned, swing her leg out and planting her foot in it's face, breaking it's head apart.

Suddenly, a sharp point caught the back of her left leg, causing her to fall to her knees in pain before a scream pierced her ears, she quickly covering her ears as they begun to ring loudly to the point where she got a splitting headache, getting caught by the stunning screams. She forced her head to turn, staring at the undead monster lurking it's way towards her. Her body trembled, wanting only to move away but was unable to. Once it got within about a foot of her, she squeezed her eyes shut tight as the Redead jumped to her.

But all she felt was a sudden gust pass her; she didn't feel any pain, didn't feel the bony grasp of the life sucking monster, nor it's teeth. She couldn't hear anything thanks to the scream, so she slowly opened her eyes, shocked at what she saw behind her. Fredrick stood between her and the Redead... Tangled with it's bony limbs and caught in it's death trap, in which he fought in vain to free himself.

"F-Fredrick..What...What are you doing?" She stuttered, the words just falling out of her mouth, unable to hear her own words. She stared at him, who just turned to look at her, with a small smile across his face, saying something which she could barely hear. She tried to push her body to move but it refused, she was unable to do anything but watch as her captain was paralyzed and then drug off by other Redeads. She drug herself along a couple feet in the direction he disappeared, until a blunt weapon hit hard against the back of her head, quickly sending the blonde Princess into darkness, her body falling limp to the ground.

 _ **"No matter what you say, you'll still be protected..And it'll always be an honor, Your Highness.."**_

 _ **A/N; So I could have worded that better but right now it'll do. Anyways that is actually the first time I have every fully killed someone in a story, I don't actually like killing people off, but I felt it needed to happen.**_

 _ **Once again, I am sorry for the wait, I hope I can start writing faster, but I already know that's out of my reach. Anyhow, I hope you liked it, comment, vote, whatevers.**_


	13. The Truth

**_A/N_**

: **_Okay so I want to sincerely apologize for the very long delay with this chapter. Though I dont have much planned after this chapter so the ones after might take a bit as well until I think of things. Honestly this has taken so long mainly because I have little motivation to do things and the last month I've been having a couple problems, but oh well. Anyways I hope you enjoy, and thanks for reading so far, and hope you will continue to read this story._**

Slowly opening her eyes, she found herself in a dimly lit room,it took a moment for her eyes to fully adjust, soon seeing that she was left within a cell, metal bars sealing her in. It seemed to be later in the night based on what she could see from the window on the back wall. Chains could be heard clinking in nearby cells, though surprisingly she remained unbound.

Time passed by agonizingly slow, Zelda remained unaware of what time it actually was as it went. Multiple hours had to have passed before she heard footsteps coming from down the hall. As they got closer, she pushed herself up onto her feet, trying to ignore the throbbing pain coming from the back of her head once she stood. Soon she was face to face with the man she was told was dead.

"Jackson, you were behind this whole thing weren't you?" She growled, stepping up to the bars, glaring at the former councilmember standing in front of her.

"It wasn't supposed to go as it did, Ganondorf strayed from the original plans, but that doesn't matter now, we'll still get the same result." He said lowly, not waiting to get on to why he came. "I have only come here to.. Negotiate with you by Ganondorf's orders."

"While I am trapped behind bars? Oh this will go just great for you." She hissed, crossing her arms.

"I can't do anything about that, you are quite dangerous to me if you weren't, since I lack..physical strength compared to you." He told her, receiving a glare in response. Muttering, he went on, "I have talked it over with Lord Ganondorf, the Gerudo will pull out from this war, and leave Hyrule alone in exchange for Link." He said, glancing around before reaching his hand in through the bars, "Deal?"

Zelda stared at his outstretched hand, slowly taking it with her own. Just as a smile crept onto his face, she quickly twisted his hand, pulling his arm roughly in and forcing his face to hit the bars, "Deal? Don't make me laugh, Ganondorf is a scoundrel, just a untrustworthy, deceitful, backstabbing bastard. I would rather be killed than trade anyone to that monster." She told him coldly, twisting his arm farther, waiting for his pained expression before letting go, watching the man retreat from the bars, rubbing his arm tenderly.

"You might just get what you ask fo, Your Highness…" He muttered, composing himself again, shooting her a glare before turning away and leaving back down the hall.

She watched as he left, taking in a deep breath after he disappeared from view. She settled back down at the back of the cell, gently rubbing the backside of her head. Even if she knew of where Link was, she would never just trade him off to Ganondorf… Sighing, she did wish she knew where he was, or when he would be back, he could take care of this and help end it all. She shook the thought from her mind, she couldn't rely on him for this, she had to help herself with this.

Standing up, she turned to look up to the window above her, looking at it, surprisingly it had no bars, just a wooden door. Somehow she had to get up there and out of this place before she became Ganondorf's play toy for who knows what purposes.

She started from the bottom of the wall, feeling along it, finding the grooves in between the bricks. Most had enough space for her little fingers to at least get some sort of hold. Though thankfully the moonlight from the window and candles outside the cell gave enough light to see where she would have to climb.

She felt the walls thoroughly before starting her way up the wall, using the hooks that pinned the chains to the wall to stay still as she felt further up before climbing again. Before she reached the window, she heard a door swing open and a pair of footsteps could be heard from down the hall. Hurriedly, she scrambled for the edge of the window, nearly losing hold as she grasped for the cold stone. Pulling herself through the window, she hung from the opposite edge, hearing as her cell door was forced open and soon a voice which she knew was Ganondorf roared out before stomping down the hallway yelling out orders to search the fortress.

Sighing she dropped from the edge, landing on something that surely wasn't the ground as it let out a grunt. She jumped to her feet and saw she landing on one of the Gerudo woman. As she went to run away she glanced back while the Gerudo pulled herself back on her feet, Zelda stopped as it turned out to be Nabooru that she landed on. "At least it's you that I landed on Nabooru, instead of--"

"How do you know my name Hylian?" She interrupted, crossing her arms and glaring to the blonde.

"Right...gah.." Zelda groaned, "Okay, we worked together before, but you lost your memories along with the others. I beg of you Nabooru, please believe me and don't let Ganondorf know," She begged, getting a glare in response. There was an awkward silence between the two for a long minute before Nabooru broke it.

"As much as I should report it... For some odd reason I feel as if I can trust you in your words." The Gerudo mused for a moment then shrugged, turning and casually walking away, "I could care less about that fiend anyways. I suppose if he asks, I saw and heard nothing."

Zelda silently thanked the women then started sneaking around the fortress, avoiding the several Gerudo now running around searching for her. Fortunately for her, she had explored the majority of this fortress as Sheik, so she was able to easily find her way around, knowing also where most of the guards were posted at. Only downside was she was stolen of most of the things she had on her when she got caught, including her armor, weapons and of course her shoes, so she was left with the minimal amount of clothes in the desert at night, not the greatest of circumstances but Zelda had little room to complain.

Besides Nabooru, she was luckily able to avoid all of the Gerudo throughout the fortress, soon coming to the stairs up to the fortress, there appeared to be nobody posted there oddly enough. Lightly walking down, there were still no guards as she got to the base of the steps. Suddenly a hand reached out of the shadows and grabbed onto her lower arm. Probably jumping a good inch from surprise, Zelda quickly turned to see a Gerudo woman come out from around the corner, hand grasped tightly around her lower arm.

"You are to be taken directly to Lord Ganondorf immediately." The woman drug the blonde back up towards the fortress.

Zelda pulled back, trying to free herself from the Gerudo's grasp, but to no avail as she got drug across the sand. As they got closer, Zelda gave up on pulling and swung her arm around, bending the Gerudo's arm the opposite way and twisting out of the woman's hold. Swiftly swinging around, the princess took off away from the warrior, running as fast as her small legs could go towards the stairs once again. Glancing back she saw she surprisingly wasn't being followed by anyone, though she didn't stop, she kept running until she got to the bridge that connected Hyrule to the desert. It wasn't broken in this timeline quite yet, so she made her way across, looking back as she stepped foot on the other side.

Nabooru sat along the ridge of the fortress, another Gerudo lying unconscious beside her, she didn't wish to do such a thing to her own, but that princess wouldn't have been able to get away on her own, though she was surprised by her sneaking abilities as she had gotten around mostly unnoticed until the stairs. They had never met though she trusted the young girl and felt the urge to help, leading Nabooru to follow her around the fortress, distracting the other warriors as she went so they wouldn't catch her. The Gerudo then stood up, reaching down to pick up her fellow Gerudo. But then everything went dark as she felt herself falling. Two witches appeared behind the fallen Nabooru, laughing as they picked her up and flew off into the desert with her.

Zelda made her way through the narrow valley, heading back towards her home, though she loved the cold sand on her feet, she had no time to waste. Who knows how long she was kept there and she had to get back to Kakariko. Quickening her pace, she was set on at least getting out of the desert before the end of the night so she could start her way back to Kakariko.


End file.
